Fate's Red Strings
by ABoxOfMacaronsPlease
Summary: The red string of fate, an endless string that supposedly connects one to their destined soulmate. But what can one do to finally reach the end of that string: the soulmate? Well, they must start a journey, even if the original end goal isn't winning the heart of that soulmate. For all one knows, they can end up with their happy ever after . . . one day. AU
1. Ran Away

**A/N: This is a fanfic project I started almost a year ago as an early birthday present for my sister-by-bond, but due to the certain circumstances that occurred with my other fic "I Belong at Home", it was delayed by several months, so I decided to just finish it and release it on her next birthday, which is today! So, happy birthday to her! And to those reading this, I hope you enjoy this as well, but be prepared for some fantasy-fairy-tale cliché-ness! Oh, and also there are going to be some OOC-ness! And, because this story was recently finished, I'll post a new chapter every day—I could've posted it all in one day but I didn't manage to revise all of them. Anyway, enjoy!**

 **Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

Prologue:

Have you heard of the red string of fate? Some believe of it, while some don't. I, on the other hand, am in between. Besides my belief in her powers, I felt unsure about Fate's strings, since sixteen years of my life I was trapped within the stony walls of my castle known as "home", so I never really knew much besides the knowledge I gained from the contents of the books in the archives. Now, with my belief in the red strings, that _am_ , became a _was_. Because, on that one time and moment, it felt as if Fate had called out to me and led me to the end of one of her red strings that people go on and on about. The end of an invisible string, one single string that binds two people who are supposedly destined for each other; it was a judgement made by Fate and Destiny.

 _However_ , there's always a catch . . .

* * *

I paced on the floor, anxious for news on my parents' condition. The doctor came out with a relieved smile on his face. I looked at him in hope, wondering if my parents were going to be okay.

As if reading my mind, the doctor said, "Don't worry. Your parents will be just fine soon. They just need to be carefully attended to and in a few weeks, we are hoping, they'll be up and about again."

I heaved a sigh of relief and nodded. "Thank goodness."

"I'm glad to be of service to you and your family, Your Highness."

"And I thank you for helping us, you are dismissed, Doctor."

Oh how I disliked being addressed in such formalities—titles like: "Your Highness", "Princess," "Young Majesty," and the list goes on.

The doctor nodded and courteously bowed before he left the hall. I slipped into my parents' bedchamber and gazed at them as they began to slowly recover. However many fortunes we held, we are still fragile human beings with emotion, a heart, and a life.

Another failed attempt at an assassination, but this one had actually nearly managed to succeed. Now, my parents were laying in bed, vulnerable to another attempt. Luckily, I ordered some of the most trusted guards to inconspicuously guard my parents until their full recovery; if suspicion were to arise within the palace, I am fairly sure that there will be a lot of commotion. I shouldn't hire too many guards or attendants, for they may actually end up being the cause of death for my parents—or me, under my orders that consisted of words laced with worry and anxiety.

At all costs, I must not let my parents die just yet. There are too many negative outcomes from their death, like chaos arising throughout the kingdom. Or, for me, the worse case yet—bringing a prince whom I have never met and laid eyes upon in my life and having me marry him to rule alongside them as the queen. I feel that if that were to happen, I may actually agree to the few citizens that decide to rebel against the royal family and wish to dethrone me. I shook my head.

 _I must not worry about that just yet. Right now, I must focus on the recovery of my parents. And, for the time being, I shall put a quick stop to their royal duties, however I feel rather guilty for the incoming amount of workload for them once they can move about again._

* * *

Weeks passed, and finally, my parents have fully recovered from their injuries. There were no further attempts of assassination during their time of recovery, much to the delight of the guards.

At the moment, I was in my room, just resting peacefully. As I was staring at the burning fireplace of my room, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned to look at the person who brought me back to reality, which turned out to be one of the maids.

"Your parents are calling for you, Milady," she stated and quickly left with a bow.

One of those titles again. Honestly, I am always left wondering why we humans are currently separated because of certain ranks, when we have the same role to play in this world—to simply live. We were born equal, and if I were to meet the person who started this game of ranks and titles, I'd slap them as hard as I can and show the opposite of royal etiquette expectancy.

I stood from my chair and began to make my way to my parents' room. My dress swished against the smooth, marble floor and servants passed by as I walked to where I thought my parents were. When I reached the doors of their bedchamber, I gave a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in," was the answer through the doors.

I opened one of the doors and slipped inside. My mother sat on their ridiculously large bed, while my dad just remained standing beside her.

"I'm here," I calmly announced.

"Ah, Chihiro. Thank you for answering to us. We have something to discuss with you right now, dear," my mother said.

"I see."

"Well, first of all, we would like to thank you for helping take care of us. Even though you are of royal status, you played a great role in this very large household!" My father began.

"Thank you."

 _The way he said that sounds like I'm about to leave them. I'm grateful to be a wonderful daughter to them, but what in the world is going on? Why does he speak as if I am moving away? Wait a minute . . . no. I shall let them finish first, then I can jump to conclusions._

"Secondly, we have sent out spies to track down the assassins, and to also inform us of future attempts," my father continued.

"That's great to hear."

 _I must have sounded bored and monotonous, but I must try to at least smile at the news! Come on, come on!_

I faked a smile, but telling from the way my mother smiled back, it must have looked sincere enough. I mentally sighed in relief. Years of faking positivity for the sake of royalty sure pays off, doesn't it? Nevertheless, it can most certainly be helpful during certain situations or news—especially with ones you don't care about.

"Lastly, we have something very big to announce to you and the whole kingdom, and it's going to be especially important to you," my father said.

Now this piqued my interest. What would they be thinking of that is especially important to me? I absolutely must not jump to that one conclusion just yet, not when I still have not heard what my parents were going to say. Maybe this news is about something that may actually be worthy of my listening ear.

All my hopes drained the moment my mother had voiced it out.

"You are to be betrothed to the prince of a nearby kingdom!" my mother finished, elated.

I felt the blood rush out of my cheeks. I also felt my brows furrow and my lips tilt into a disappointed frown. My parents seemed to look rather terrified at my reaction. I seem to have dropped my mask somewhere. Oh well. I'd rather not fake happiness when it comes to this kind of stuff.

 _Breathe, and relax. Come on, get yourself together Chihiro. I—I . . . can't. I'm sorry mental me, but I . . . I absolutely cannot!_

It seems that my heart just decided to speak for me.

"What is wrong with you two?! I am only sixteen, and I know that is the common age for a princess to get married, but in my opinion, that's just—too young! I do not wish to be married yet, and years and years back I have already told you both this!" I roared.

My parents both looked at me with horrified expressions, as if I was possessed by an evil witch. I didn't care. I feel that I am not ready to get married yet—no, more like the fact that I do not wish to get married to someone that I do not love, nor will I have the heart in me to grow that non-existent feeling.

"Chihiro, calm down!" my father shouted.

"No! Not when you end this ridiculous game of matchmaker! I will not ma—" My angry protest was interrupted by my mother's hand colliding against my cheek.

The loud sound of the slap reverberated throughout the room, and I'm glad that this room is made up of thick walls to stop the sound from travelling outside, which may trigger gossip among the staff. I gently grasped my reddening cheek and I looked at my mother in shock and—a surprise to the tsunami of negative emotions raging within the depths of my heart—a hint of fright.

"You may think that this is a game, but this is not! Think of the benefits for the country—one filled with so many people that are depending on our judgement! For all we know a war could be waged out, so sometimes there is no other solution besides a marriage alliance. Please understand, Chihiro. You are the princess, and a royal must do whatever it takes to ensure the happiness of their kingdom."

Tears began to well up in my eyes. I'm pretty sure that the tears were not because of the pain of the slap; it was because of reality. Reality stinks, no? My mother brought me into a hug, the motherly hug that I knew for years.

"I know that this is a lot to take in, but please understand that this is for the sake of the kingdom. Sometimes I, too, wished that I was not born of royal blood. I—I am so sorry for bringing this upon you, but we _have_ to," my mother said despairingly.

I released myself from the embrace and looked at my mom straight in the eye. I mustered all my courage and seriousness to this one statement before I decided to leave and return to my own quarters.

"I know that it is something of great importance. You may do this if you wish, but I shall not join you. Have another daughter, or a son, and do all you want with them. But for me, I am not joining you in this. I just feel that I'm not ready, and . . . never mind. Have a great night, I better be going now," I said and left the ginormous room.

The moment I finished closing the door, I made a break for my own room. Some of the servants gave me questioning glances, some even asked me if there was something wrong, to which I ignored. I just ran, my skirts trailing behind me as I quickly made my way to my room. Just a few wide steps from the door of my room, I tripped. I swiftly got up and entered my room. I shut the door and rested my head on my bed. I sobbed. Just thinking about my parents caused a greater eruption of sobs and tears.

 _Why? Why oh why must I carry this burden? Now I feel all the pain that most of these young princesses before me have felt, and to the ones after. My mother is a very lucky woman to fall in love with her betrothed: my father. I wish I could just end it all. No! I must not think such thoughts, not when there is still a bright path shining in the distance._

My sobs and tears gradually stopped, but I was left red-eyed and with a nose full of snot. I sniffled and blew my nose on my handkerchief that I had always kept hidden in one of my dress pockets.

 _I might look like an absolute disgrace to royalty right now . . . if I were in public,_ I thought in sorrow.

I took a few deep breaths and I gently rubbed my temples. I walked towards my mirror and stared at the horrific reflection in front of me. I looked like a complete mess. I called for one of my ladies-in-waiting, and they quickly came to get me into a new change of clothes. I switched to a long-sleeved nightgown, which only ended up to my knees. I thanked the lady for helping me, who replied with a nod and bow. I buried myself in my bed and tried to sleep.

My body seemed to rebel against what I wanted, because I couldn't get a wink of sleep. Hours seemed to have passed, because all that seemed to remain are the dark halls which were occasionally lit by the passing guards' lamps.

All of a sudden, this one word popped up in my mind— _escape_.

Escape? Yes, escape.

My heart seemed to obey, and it somehow managed to get my brain to do the same. I began aimlessly walking through my room, scrounging drawers for jewelry to sell for money, searching for a bag large enough to hold my things, snatching the purple hair tie that my grandmother gave me when I was ten (days after the hair tie was given to me, however, my grandmother had mysteriously vanished without a trace), and grabbing a pair of ballet flats. I went through the drawers one last time, and for a moment I glanced at the small stack of love letters, some of them containing rings either made of the shiniest of gold or the smoothest of silver and topped with a diamond or some other jewel. I shook my head and moved on.

When I had all the things I needed, I quietly opened my window and looked below. The fall wasn't too far, so my feet could somehow manage. I quickly tied my hair in a ponytail like I did when I was younger and I jumped. I landed safely on the ground, and I began to run. I snuck into the stables and grabbed my horse and lead it through the palace grounds and reached the gate. The horse and I slipped through the gate, and after we were both out of palace grounds, I mounted the horse and rode through the main city.

A little while later, after passing towns, I reached the border of the kingdom. I glanced back at the buildings, and at the palace in the distance. I bit my lip and once again looked ahead.

 _Good-bye Mother, Father, everyone. I feel that if I keep on going through with this and being this kingdom's pawn, my heart would tear, and I would be left torn and led to my destruction. I'm sorry . . ._

I urged the horse to keep going, and so we left the kingdom.


	2. Foreign Land

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

I got off my horse and led it off the path. I let it roam for a bit, while I sat and rested under a tree. I sighed and wiped a bead of sweat resting just a bit above my brow. I looked at the brightening morning sky and stared at the streaks of orange and yellow. The cool morning air made me slightly shiver, and I lightly rubbed my arms for warmth.

 _Now I've done it. By this time I'm sure the servants are already up and about. In a few hours they would stop by and wake my parents, and then me—except this time their Princess is no longer in bed nor is she roaming the gardens like past occasions._

Moments after idling under a tree, I heaved a sigh and got up to search for my horse. When I found it by a small pond drinking, we got back on the path. Before mounting my horse, I turned to see the kingdom in the distance, now in the shape of a tiny mound made up of buildings. I urged my horse to keep going.

* * *

I quickly parked my horse in a safe area and dismounted it. I jogged into the town, still in my nightgown and ballet flats. People passed by, some giving me questioning glances, and some shrugging off my choice of clothing. If I were to ride my horse publicly in this getup, then I'm thankful to wear shorts—and no, they're not bloomers, which are frilly and embarrassing for my liking—underneath the thin layer of fabric known as my nightgown.

I exchanged some of my jewelry for gold, and I used that gold to buy some bread and cheese. Many merchants eyed the jewelry, each one made of genuine gems and crystals, and they quickly gathered around the new owner of the accessories.

I quickly bought some vegetables for my horse and stopped for a little— _break_ , in a small shack because of some uh, yeah, you know—bladder problems.

I walked to where my horse was secretly parked and packed my bought items in the saddle bag. I quickly fed the horse some cabbage and moved on.

Hours had passed, because the sun now shone brightly above.

 _By now I'm sure the palace workers are panicking due to my missing presence, while my parents might have some clue as to what I might be doing, considering last night's incident,_ I thought.

I quickly stopped in a town to get some water, and luckily I found a shack that sold maps. I bought a map with some of my money and bid the merchant good-bye. I also quickly bought some socks and a pair of rider boots. When I returned to my horse, I sat down and inspected the map.

"So, it seems that we're in this here area," I mumbled to myself as I pointed on a dot in the map.

"Hmm, where to go . . ." I mumbled and took a gulp of water from my canteen.

Even after already drinking some water, I seemed to have been very thirsty, because I ended up finishing my water before I even continued on my journey. I grumbled and ran to the large faucet nearby to refill my water. I borrowed a bucket beside it and got some water for my horse. When I returned, I sat the bucket in front of my horse, which it happily drank from. I quickly placed another cabbage beside it—to which my horse neighed in delight and gratitude—and hid the canteen in the saddlebag. I then continued inspecting the map.

 _Hmm, how about going to . . . Aburaya? Telling from the map's legend, it's a rather small town, but it's located in the Kingdom of . . . Spirits? Huh, strange name for a kingdom, but nonetheless it's a really big kingdom—I think it's larger than my kingdom. It's pretty far, but hopefully I could make it there in a few weeks' time._

I tucked the map in the saddlebag and waited for my horse to finish its meal. I mounted after and tightly gripped the reins.

 _Next stop: Aburaya!_ I decided confidently and continued travelling.

* * *

" _Mama, where did you come from before you married Papa?" I asked in curiosity._

 _My mother looked at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes and answered, "In a kingdom far away from this one; it was called the Kingdom of Spirits, where there are all sorts of magic!"_

 _I looked at my mother_ _in interest and grinned thoughtfully. "Really? Do they have witches there?"_

 _My mother nodded and smiled. "Yes. Both good and bad, but stay away from the bad ones."_

 _I giggled, and asked, "Do they have dragons there too?"_

 _My mother seemed to look as if in thought, and replied, "Who knows. The Kingdom of Spirits has all sorts of things going on that people think only appear in your story books, dear."_

 _I bowed my head, and quietly asked, "Mama, is there a town in that kingdom that has some of the most magic?"_

" _Yes. It's called Aburaya, sweetie." I lifted my head and looked at my mother._

" _Aburaya?"_

" _Yes. The town mainly consists of restaurants, and in the middle of the town is a big, red bathhouse. It is said that millions of royal families and wealthy nobles from different places far and wide visit there, as well as wealthy spirits that come from the Spirit World," my mother said, and my eyes widened in wonder._

" _Is that why it's called the Kingdom of Spirits? Because it is connected to the Spirit World?"_

" _My, Chihiro, what a smart girl you are!"_

 _I laughed. "Yeah!"_

 _My mother's expression quickly grew serious, and I looked at her questioningly._

" _Chihiro, in case we are to ever go to Aburaya, or anywhere in the Kingdom of_

 _Spirits, you must not wander without our permission—especially mine."_

 _I tilted my head. "Why?"_

" _Although the town has all sorts of wonderful magic and creatures, it's also very dangerous. So I warn you now, you could get into all sorts of trouble if you were to carelessly do things without our consent."_

 _I furrowed my brows and nodded stiffly. My mother chuckled and patted my head. We just sat there on the carpet, enjoying each other's company. Our peace came to a halt when my father came bursting through the doors._

" _Yuuko, we are in need of your assistance at the moment!" my father urgently announced._

 _My mother stood up and walked with him to the door. Before my parents left, my mother turned her head and looked at me with an apologetic smile._

" _I'm so sorry that our time is ruined like this, Chihiro, but as Queen I must accomplish my duties. I won't be gone for long. Bye sweetie!" She said and left with my father, leaving behind a downcast seven year old me._

" _Bye-bye Mama . . ." I whispered silently at the closed doors of the bedchamber._

 _Several hours had passed, and it was time for my dinner. I never got a single glimpse of my mother again that day._

* * *

I opened my eyes and sat up. I looked around and saw the streaks of orange and yellow painted across the sky, signalling the dawn of a new day. I got up and stretched. After, I dusted my skirts and folded the blanket that was temporarily my bed. I began to go to where my horse was parked.

I walked through shrubs and trees and found my horse grazing beside the tree it was leashed to. I packed my blanket and unleashed my horse. A few moments after tending to my horse and eating some of the biscuits and apple I bought a few days back, I mounted my horse and went back onto the path. I got out the map and inspected it.

 _We're almost at the borders of the Kingdom of Spirits. Just a couple more hours I'm assuming. If my assumptions are correct, I may be in the town of Aburaya by night._

I rode unto the next town, and I stopped for a quick break. I took a swig of my canteen and spaced out.

 _I just remembered my mother's warning from over nine years ago, in a dream last night ._. .

I shook my head and confidently looked at the bright sky.

 _There's no turning back now! I've decided to go there, so after all that hard work just travelling, I cannot turn back and go to another kingdom; the Kingdom of Spirits is the closest one on the map now. I shall face whatever consequence that awaits me there. Besides, I'm already sixteen and am independent enough to on my own._

* * *

I walked through the lit path and admired the restaurants. The town's theme was

rather traditional, but there was the notable hint of magic laced throughout the town. I nervously gripped the reins of my horse, but I kept walking with a high head. Nothing too magical going on at the moment, unless you count the irresistible smells from the food. It pretty much seemed just like any other traditional town, except for the conspicuous lack of civilians right now.

 _I had just recently exchanged every single one of my accessories and got quite a sack full of gold. Maybe I can temporarily stay in the bathhouse before I find a place to settle,_ I contemplated.

I found a clear space that led to a lake, and I decided to park my horse somewhere close to the body of water. Luckily I found a pole, and I leashed my horse to the cylindrical piece of wood. When I finished, I quickly fed my horse and retrieved my gold, and I slipped back into the cluster of restaurants. I jogged up some stairs that I came upon and gazed at the beauty that beheld me.

Like what my mother said, the bathhouse was certainly big and red. It was beautiful, and the real thing put the vision I have imagined for years to shame.

I ran across the bridge and quietly slipped into the red building. Out of courtesy, I took off my boots (I now feel glad that I took so much history and etiquette lessons) and rested them by the edge. I bowed to a greeter and kept going. I saw workers everywhere, and they were dressed in kimonos. The women seemed normal. The men however, were different, and they seemed to resemble frogs. The men were certainly one of the abnormal features of this place.

"You! What do you want?"

I turned around and saw one of the frogmen, who was pointing directly at me from his podium. I bowed and politely spoke, "Excuse me sir, I would like to have a place to temporarily reside in."

The frogman sneered at me and asked, "Are you another one of those wealthy humans?"

"Um, yes?"

"State your name!"

I looked at him in bewilderment and surprise, but I quickly masked it with a cool gaze and answered, "Ogino Chihiro, sir. Daughter of Queen Yuuko and King Akio from a distant kingdom, and I wish to stay here for a week."

 _How . . . How rude! Does this town have a knack for hating humans? There goes my magical image of this kingdom._

"All right, six hundred gold a night."

 _Huh?! Six hundred gold?! That is ridiculously expensive! Some smaller kingdoms aren't even able to afford a week's stay in this bathhouse! Ah, no wonder my mom described these visitors as wealthy._

I tossed my sack to the frogman.

"Is that enough?"

The worker inspected the sack and stroke his chin in thought. I looked at him blankly, waiting for a response.

 _I hope that's enough. I traded jewelry made of genuine gemstones for all that gold._ The colour in my face seemed to drain from the frogman's response.

"Although this is a lot of gold, this ain't enough. Now leave, there are others waiting for their baths!"

I looked at the worker incredulously.

 _What in the world is wrong with him?! I know that I wished to be treated as an equal, not a princess, but this is borderline disrespectful, and title matters not!_

I waited until there were no other bath requests and continued to plead to the worker.

"Please, anything! I'll work here, and I'll pay for the costs of the stay!" I pleaded.

The frogman turned to me and looked at me in disdain. I mentally returned the hateful gaze he tossed at me. "I ain't the boss here, human. If you want to be hired, then go to the office and request a job."

"Um, may you please show me the way to the office?"

"At least this human ain't a stinker," I heard him mumble as he went to an elevator.

He gestured for me to follow, which I did. We rode a few elevators and reached the top floor. I stepped out, but the frogman didn't follow.

"There should be a set of large doors in this floor. That leads to the entrance of Lady Yubaba's quarters and office," and with that, the frogman left with a switch of the elevator lever.

 _Whoever this Lady Yubaba is, she must be the owner of this bathhouse._

I immediately found the doors and walked towards it while looking at the intricate designs on the vases that were orderly placed around the room. I reached for one of the door handles, but was halted by a strange voice.

"Where are your manners? Shouldn't you knock first?" I jumped.

I looked at the door knocker, which was in the shape of an old lady's face. I tried my best to stay calm.

 _Okay, now things are beginning to get abnormal._

"Um, yes." I reached for the knocker and brought the golden ring against the large door.

"Come in!" a voice called out, and the doors began to slowly open.

I walked into the room and several more doors opened. I passed numerous halls, each one containing beautiful vases and all sorts of expensive decor. When I reached the door to the office, I quietly slipped in. The room was decorated in very expensive furniture, and it was less traditional compared to the lower floors of the building. In front of me were these curtains draped to create a wall of fabric to cover something—or _someone_ , most likely this Lady Yubaba.

 _Either these curtains have been here the whole time, or this Lady Yubaba does not wish to see me._

"Is there something you need, dear?" a kind voice echoed through the curtains, like that of a loving grandmother, and for some reason, it was very familiar.

 _Not what I expected. I imagined a wicked lady speaking in a harsh tone._

As if they have read my mind, they spoke, "I'm only subbing for my twin sister, who is the harsher one. She's doing some important business, important enough that I am subbing for her, much to her chagrin. Now, what is it that you need?"

"Um, I'd like to work here please," I requested.

"Hmm, I see. Well, because my rules are very different compared to my sister's, I'll let you work here until my sister decides what to do with you."

A pen and document slipped through the curtain wall and floated right in front of me. I grabbed the pen and looked at the parchment in confusion.

"Um, do I sign my name on this document?" I asked as I pointed on a blank space below the sheet.

"That's right, and if you do not wish to become another one of my sister's puppets, then I suggest you enter in a different name instead of your real one."

I looked at the document once again. For some reason, I couldn't think of a name. I placed the tip of the pen on the floating document, but I didn't move it.

 _What should I temporarily name myself? Yuki? Aiko? Futaba? Aoi? Hanabi? . . . Alex? No, no, no, absolutely none of those names! They simply don't fit for some reason._

All of a sudden, a name popped up in my head, and I quickly wrote it on the document without thinking twice. When I finished signing, the paper and pen once again floated through the wall of curtains. I heard the sound of a light crumple when one grasps some paper.

"Sen, eh? Well then, welcome, Sen! I have already called for one of the workers whom you will be assisting, and she'll be escorting you to our quarters. She's already on her way." I nodded and bowed in gratitude.

"Thank you very much for helping me, ma'am!"

"Oh, it's not a problem, dear. Good luck out there! Oh, it seems the one I've called for is here!"

I heard the doors squeak, and through them entered a beautiful woman who looked to be either in her late teens or early twenties. She was dressed in one of those pink uniforms that some of the female workers wore, and her long hair was of a similar shade of brown as mine. She gave a polite bow.

"What is it that you need, Lady Zeniba?" she asked.

 _Zeniba? So that's the name of the owner's sister. That name . . . it's very familiar, and it feels like I've heard of it before—but from where?_

"This here young lady has been newly hired and is to be your assistant. Please show her the women's quarters and help her begin her job," Zeniba instructed.

The beautiful lady bowed and replied, "Yes, ma'am."

The lady turned to me, and I looked at her in silence.

"Come, I'll show you to our room," the lady gestured and quietly left the office.

I followed her, but only after bowing to Zeniba in gratitude. I jogged to catch up to the lady, who was walking rather quickly. We took some more elevators, and when we made it to the women's quarters, the lady turned to look at me with a grin. A drastic change in attitude; she must have put up a front of cool demeanour.

"You're lucky to have Zeniba hire you instead of Yubaba herself! If you were to have done the same feat with Yubaba, I'm fairly sure she would have turned you into a pig or lump of coal by then. I'm Rin by the way, nice to meet you!" The lady, Rin, stuck out a hand.

I gladly shook it and answered, "It's Chi—Sen. My name is Sen."

Rin looked away and we continued walking. "You're a very lucky girl to remember your own name. Every single one of our names were stolen from us by Yubaba when we signed our contracts."

I stopped for a moment. So that was why Zeniba suggested that I use a different name. I continued walking behind Rin.

 _Rin—the name Yubaba renamed her as. She seems like a nice lady,_ I thought.

Rin and I walked into a room, some areas of the room taken up by sleeping women. Rin walked towards the end of the room and began scrounging for some clothing. She brought up one of the uniforms and imagined it on my body, but tossed it and continued to dig into the bin of extra uniforms.

"Too big," she mumbled and tossed a uniform somewhere.

She held up another one and mumbled, "Still too big."

After scrounging for a perfectly sized uniform I can wear, she held up a uniform and nodded in victory.

"You have a rather small figure, you know that? Anyway, you are responsible for it," Rin said as she swiftly cleaned up the mess of uniforms scattered by the bin.

I nodded and hugged the pink pieces of clothing close to me. Almost a month's worth of stress and fatigue seemed to catch up to me, because I began to feel nauseous. I squatted to try to comfort my aching head, but to not much avail. Rin squatted beside me and began to rub my back in assurance.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked.

Some of the women seemed to awaken from Rin's loud voice, and they sleepily asked some questions.

"New girl ain't feeling so well," was Rin's reply, or somewhere along the lines of that; everything was so jumbled at the moment.

"Can you get up? Let's get some fresh air in the balcony."

Rin carefully guided me to the balcony. I sat and dangled my legs off the railing. I felt the cool evening breeze caress my cheeks. Rin just kept rubbing my back soothingly.

"Glad the colour is returning to your cheeks. For a moment there I would've thought you were a walking corpse," Rin joked, but due to the recent wave of nausea I just couldn't laugh at it.

I took a few deep breaths and I simply sat there, letting the breeze clear my head; my messy ponytail lightly flew with the wind. A few moments have passed and I felt much better.

"Tell me a bit more about yourself. How did you end up working here anyway?" Rin questioned.

"Would you like me to start from the very beginning?" Might as well spill the beans and lessen these burdens. Rin seemed trustworthy, despite her loudness.

Rin shrugged. "Eh, sure."

I told Rin of my adventure, right from the fight I had with my parents all the way up to the moment I am here outside in this room's balcony. Rin looked very interested, and she nodded.

"Ah, I see. Well, you've told your tale up to now, now let me tell you mine—well, what I remember of it anyway." And so, Rin began her story of how she ended up in the bathhouse.

"And that marks the end of it. I don't remember much, since I've worked here for years," Rin finished.

"How long? You don't seem very old, and from what you've told me, it seemed like you've had your . . . _adventure_ , at your current age," I remarked, and Rin chuckled.

"You don't wanna know. I'm pretty sure if I were living outside this kingdom, my true age would be about the same as your great-great-great-grandmother."

"Huh?"

"We spirits live for a very long time, I tell you. Very long. In fact, we live for so long that I'd sometimes think we're immortal. Because of our incredibly long lifespan, we sometimes choose to die earlier through _certain_ causes _,_ or when we feel that we have accomplished our purpose in life. But in the end, everyone is reborn as someone else in the future, and we are given a new purpose in that new life," Rin explained.

I looked toward the endless ocean. I couldn't really think of an answer, because I never knew that there were beings that existed for a very long time in this world, so instead I answered with a simple, "oh." Rin stood up, and I followed.

"We should hit the hay. We have a busy day tomorrow, let's go," Rin said, and went inside.

"Please wait!" I called out and grabbed Rin's wrist.

Rin turned to look at me questioningly. My face began to redden, and I released my grip on Rin's wrist.

"What is it?" she asked, and I looked down in embarrassment.

"Um, do you know a place where I can store my shoes?"


	3. A Home for Her

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

I found my horse and unlatched the saddlebag from it. I switched my boots with my ballet flats and I tucked my dirty nightgown and shorts in the bag. I unleashed my horse from the pole and rubbed its head soothingly.

"Thank you for being with me all these years. You're now free to roam wherever you wish."

My horse only nudged its head into my hand, and I chuckled. I caressed its mane and patted its head.

"Please, go far from here, to a place where you can roam with freedom—a place where it's safe! Aburaya is not a safe place for you to aimlessly roam in," I protested, and my horse neighed, as if answering in reluctance.

I kept urging my horse, until it began to walk off, free of all restraint. I waved and shouted, "Now go, and don't look back!"

The horse began to gallop away from me—from this town. For some reason, my final sentence to it seemed very significant. I shook my head and continued to stare at the horse, which kept galloping and galloping until it became a mere speck.

 _Good-bye._

I turned and walked back towards the bathhouse, with the saddlebag containing my things in hand.

* * *

"Hey Sen, can you give Kamaji his food while I scrub the tub?" Rin requested.

I tilted my head and asked, "Who's Kamaji?"

Rin realized what I meant by my question and replied, "Oh, he's the boiler man. He runs the boiler room and prepares the bath orders for the customers."

"Oh. Uh, where can I pick up the food, and where is the boiler room?"

Rin didn't turn to look at me and kept scrubbing the edges of the tub, but answered, "In the kitchen where I showed you yesterday. His food is in a bucket filled with these colourful candy—called konpeito, I believe. Also, the boiler room is at the basement and through a small door."

I thanked Rin and left the bath stall. I heard her angrily mumble something about

lazy frogs and unaccomplished duties. I made my way to the kitchen to pick up Kamaji's food, and after that I took some elevators and reached the basement. I looked around for a small door, and after a few seconds of searching, I made my way to the door. I slipped through the door and was immediately invaded by the heat of the boilers. I got up and looked around.

 _I remember Rin saying she kept my saddlebag somewhere in here. Anyway, where do I place this food?_

I turned and saw a strange man with six arms grinding some herbs. Beside us was a clearing, where these living balls of soot walked through, each one holding a thick chunk of coal and delivering them to the furnace. I turned back to the strange man.

"Um, are you Kamaji?" I called out.

"Yes, and you?"

"I'm Sen, sir. Rin sent me to deliver your food since she was busy cleaning the tubs," I answered.

Kamaji got out a mallet and smacked it against the boards of his . . . stand? The soot sprites dropped the chunks of coal they were carrying and made their way to us, but was separated by the wooden step. Kamaji stretched out one of his arms and stuck his hand out for the food, and I gave him the bucket.

"Just the bowl. The konpeito are for the soot." I nodded and handed him the bowl of food.

I began sprinkling the candy to where the soot were and received several squeaks. I giggled at their cuteness and kept sprinkling candy as the soot sprites frolicked with their colourful pieces of candy.

"You must be new here. What's your name?" Kamaji asked through munches of his meal.

"It's Sen, sir."

"Well, as you already know, I am Kamaji. I work in the boilers controlling the soot and serve bath orders."

"Um, by any chance, did you see Rin slip in one time with a saddlebag?" I asked.

"Yes, actually. Is it yours?"

"Yes."

Kamaji pointed towards one of the drawers and said, "Your things should be in that drawer. It was empty, so Rin used it to store your things."

I bowed and checked the drawer, and I sighed in relief as I saw the bag in the drawer.

"I must let you know, Yubaba will be returning soon. In fact, she could actually return at any minute, but do not let her scare you, even if you know the fact that you could end up being cursed," Kamaji warned.

I nodded and took his warning into consideration. After I sprinkled the last of the konpeito, I got up and retrieved the empty bowl that Kamaji left beside him.

"Thank you. I hope you have a great evening, Kamaji!" I said and left with a bow.

"May I ask you something first?" I stopped and turned around.

"Yes?"

"You're quite well-mannered for your age—not that all adolescents are rude. Kids these days just don't show respect towards their elders. Can you please briefly tell me your origins?"

 _Might as well tell the truth. But it makes me wonder how he suspected me._

I looked down and quietly summarized, "I'm a runaway princess. I ran from my kingdom and travelled all the way here. I was to be betrothed, but I refused and made my escape."

Kamaji nodded.

"I see. I advise that you return soon, because even if you wish to live a good life for yourself, do not forget that as a part of royalty, you are also living for the sake of many others that look up to you and your family for guidance to a safe and wonderful environment to live in happily. However, that is your choice, not mine, so do what you think is best. I, too, bid you a great evening," Kamaji advised, and I gave a final bow before I left the boiler room.

 _Besides the difference in wording, Kamaji pretty much said the same thing as my parents did that night, and many days before the announcement of my betrothal._

I searched for Rin and found her in a different stall, scrubbing a new tub. Rin wiped a bead of sweat that began to trail down her forehead, and noticed my presence. She turned around and grinned.

"What took you so long? Did you have a chat with Kamaji?"

I nodded and replied, "Yeah. I also found the spot where you stored my things. Thanks."

Rin chuckled and continued to scrub the tub. "Always a pleasure helping a friend."

I blinked. I felt a little blind and stupid for realizing how close Rin and I have gotten these past three days. For some reason, tears began to form in my eyes. I sniffled, which Rin heard and turned around. Her eyes widened and she immediately moved closer to me.

"Hey, hey! Are you all right? Is it something I said? If so, then I'm very sorry!" Rin spoke worriedly. I shook my head and gave a shaky smile.

"No. It's just that I have been caged within my palace for so long, that I never actually managed to make any friends. I have always been lonely, and because of that I grew spoiled and selfish, never learning what it was like to share food or toys. You're my very first friend outside that palace Rin, and I'm very happy to be your friend," I said as tears flowed down my face.

Rin seemed to be touched, because she, too, began to tear up. She brought me into a hug and laughed.

"Oh you . . . ! I'm glad that you're my friend too Sen, and I hope that we will still be friends in the distant future," Rin declared, and I giggled.

"We get it. You two realized your blossoming friendship and that you care about each other very much, but we have to work!" one of the workers shouted, and both Rin and I laughed.

"They're right, we have to get back to work, or else we'll keep some customers waiting. Come on." Rin tossed me a rag and we both began to scrub the tub.

Our shift eventually ended, and now Rin and I sat outside, our feet dangling off of the balcony. We were snacking on some red bean buns as we chatted.

"Hey Sen, you know it just popped up in my mind but . . . "

"Yeah?"

"Weren't you supposed to disappear and smell like a sewer on your first day?"

I munched on the bun, the sweet taste of the paste dancing on my taste buds. "Really?"

Rin shrugged. "Well, I can make an assumption about your lack of transparency that day, but your smell . . . "

"Are humans supposed to stink?" I asked, and Rin nodded.

"Yep."

"Then maybe it's because of my mother."

"Oh?"

I turned my head and looked at the night sky. For some reason, I couldn't find the constellations that I knew when I always looked out my window. Nevertheless, the sky was still beautiful, and it made the glow of the sea look much more calm and enchanting. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Rin turn to look at me and tilt her head, as if expecting for an answer.

"I was seven, and one time, I asked my mother where she came from before she married my father," I began.

"And what did she say?" Rin asked with just as much curiosity as I had when I asked the question nine years back.

"She came from this place—the Kingdom of Spirits."

"Eh?!" I turned to look at Rin, who had a completely surprised expression on her face. I bursted out laughing, and I continued when I got over my fit.

"She did. I said I was to be betrothed, which caused me to run away and end up here, right? Well, that happened to her as well, except she never ran away, and she was lucky to end up falling in love with my dad."

Rin whistled. "Wow."

"Rin, do you know the King and Queen of this Kingdom?" I asked.

"Well, I've never seen them before. Although from what I've heard, they're known to be very powerful," Rin answered. "Of course, not as powerful as the rulers of the Spirit World, but powerful enough that you don't wish to ever get on their nerves," she added, and I nodded.

"Do the rulers of this kingdom have a daughter?"

"No, but they had a son. Never heard of a daughter before."

"My mother said she was from this kingdom. She even told me about this town!"

"Well, then she must be one of those nobles. This kingdom is very big, you know? From what I recall, some nobles here are actually powerful enough to marry into a royal family. The king and queen of this Kingdom, of course, are of a much, much higher rank—higher than a lot of kingdoms' kings and queens," Rin explained.

"Then that means my mother came from one of those very powerful noble families, and they must have had enough power to compete with my dad's family."

"Most likely."

I turned to look at Rin once again and asked, "So, do you know of any powerful nobles?"

Rin furrowed her brows and grimly answered, "I know that Yubaba is one of these nobles. She's a scheming witch who takes names, damn it! I question how she and Zeniba are sisters."

"Lights out!" one of the yuna called out.

Rin stood up and stuck out her hand. "Let's head back inside and get some shuteye."

I nodded and grasped her hand. We walked back in the room, and we settled our futons beside each other. Moments later, everything blacked out.

* * *

"She's back! Lady Yubaba is back!" one of the workers shouted, who was literally a frog.

Every worker turned to face the frog and their expressions turned panicked. Rin and I stopped scrubbing and looked at each other in worry.

"She's back."

"Yeah."

"As much as Zeniba hates her sister, she most likely informed Yubaba of you, so you will get a meeting _very_ soon," Rin muttered as she continued to wipe the floors.

One of the frogmen came to where Rin and I were. He stopped and turned to me.

 _Either they want us to do something, or I may get a meeting with Yubaba. Thank you for making me nervous, Rin. As much as I love you, I may grow to hate you at the same time._

"Yubaba requested for you, Sen," the frogman uttered and pointed to one of the elevators.

I nodded and turned to a Rin with a nervous smile. "I'll be right back . . . if I make it out alive."

Rin gave a sad smile and a thumbs up. I took the elevator and another one unto the last floor. When I made it to the last floor, I walked towards the large doors. This time, I knocked, and the knocker grunted in approval. Nervousness and fright seemed to seep into me as I heard a voice similar to Zeniba's, but "sweeter"—with a hint of harshness.

"Come in."

The first two opened, along with the doors of the other corridors, but I never got the chance to walk in normally like I did the first time I visited. I felt an invisible force grab me by the shirt of my uniform, and it tugged me inside. I moved very quickly, to the point that I actually decided not to use my feet. I zoomed past the same corridors that I took, except this time I didn't get lost. When the office door opened, I got tossed like a rag doll and ended up hitting a part of my head. I clutched it in pain and groaned. When the pain subsided, I slowly got up.

This time, the curtains were no longer forming a wall to where the desk was. In front of me sat Yubaba, who was in her desk inspecting some documents. She looked up and gave me a creepy smile, which caused shivers to run up my spine.

 _She's certainly a lot like the way I imagined her to be when I first heard her name._

She had an abnormally oversized head, along with a big nose. She had platinum-blonde hair, almost white, styled in a bun with two hair sticks keeping it secure. She also wore a lot of makeup, and a lot of jewelry, especially on her fingers. The only thing I seemed to like was her blue dress. I cringed mentally.

"So, Sen, is it? The foreman has informed me that my sister hired you to assist one of my workers."

I held a high head and nodded, but I couldn't stop how much my shoulders shook. Yubaba seemed to notice my front and she cackled maniacally, like an evil witch in those fairy tales would. Yubaba took out a pipe and took a large whiff of it, and exhaled the smoke through her large nostrils. I tried not to gag at the smell.

"Some of my workers have told me that for a human, you seem to be able to work almost like the rest of them. They also secretly complimented you on how you never stunk like the rest of the humans that come here," Yubaba said calmly as she kept smoking.

"For your first four days of working here to pay off the debt of your supposed week-long stay, you held up pretty well—for a human," Yubaba said, and I didn't know whether it was an insult or a compliment, but I took the latter.

I bowed. "Thank you."

"Don't think that's all I have to say, girl. I actually have an offer for you," Yubaba said with a wicked smirk.

I gulped and cocked my head.

"Would you like to work in my mansion? You could serve as one of the caretakers for my son, and you can be one of my maids. The debt will be cancelled if you accept. What do you say?" Yubaba stated.

 _Gods no! Working_ in _the mansion of Yubaba herself?! That is suicide! But . . . I have to, or I may actually end up being served for dinner or a lump of coal this morning. I'm pretty sure Rin would rather see me work alive and healthy than see her fellow workers or the customers eat me._

I bowed, and replied, "That would be an honour, ma'am. I'll take the offer."

Yubaba furrowed her brows. I lifted my head and held it high with pride and honour.

"What a well-mannered girl you are. Were you once a princess or noble by any chance?"

 _Ding, ding, ding! Jackpot!_ My expression became slightly surprised and I looked away.

"Well?" The witch's tone grew more stern and demanding.

I turned to look at her, and I confidently answered, "Yes, ma'am. I was formerly a princess."

"Then you must be one of those runaway princesses who escaped the fate of being betrothed to someone they have never met, hm?" It was more of a statement than a question.

"Y-yes, ma'am," I confirmed quietly.

Yubaba continued to inspect the documents. I stood there, waiting for another question or instruction. The witch looked up at me.

"Well? You're dismissed! You will be transferred to my mansion in two days. If you truly are one of those runaway princesses, then you should be happy to work in a place where your parents would least expect you to be at." I nodded and bowed.

"Thank you ma'am." And with that, I exited the office.

When I finally found Rin, she tackled me into a hug. I returned the embrace and laughed.

"So? How did it go?" she asked.

"Well, I don't know if it's good news or not, but Yubaba hired me as one of her son's caretakers and a maid in her mansion. I'm pretty sure you would prefer me alive and healthy than see me as roasted pork," I replied, and Rin's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Eh?! You've been hired by Yubaba?! When are you starting your work there?"

"I'll be transferred to her mansion in two days."

Rin patter my shoulder. "Good luck then."

I nodded. Rin turned around and handed me a bucket full of water. I looked at her questioningly.

"Dump the dirty water outside," Rin instructed and I nodded.

I hefted the bucket and brought it to gardens. I stood in the entrance, but I dumped the water outside. I felt a presence and I looked up. My eyes landed on a black, shadowy figure with a strange mask that made it seem like it was smiling—an enigmatic smile. I noticed that it started to drizzle, and I lifted the empty bucket, but I didn't keep my eyes off the creature.

"I'll leave the door open for you to come in," I said and left with the bucket.

 _Whatever that was, I hope it doesn't get too wet and makes a mess of the floors that we just cleaned._

* * *

 **Response to James Birdsong: For some reason that comment made me chuckle a bit. Anyway, either he did steal it (remember the workers' greed), returned it to Chihiro after he refused her, or he kept it as a part of her stay's debt to give to Yubaba or Zeniba later. But really, that's up to you—and to the other readers who are reading this—to decide. Sometimes we'll have to infer, although I may be lacking clues because this was my writing from a year ago hahaha. But thank you for pointing that out!**

 **So, dear readers, feel free to review and point out some mistakes or . . . something, and I'll happily respond to it! Really, since I have absolutely no author's notes to type until the end of the story or the disclaimer.**

 **Well, maybe I do have one thing to add. The "lead or led" part (to those who've noticed that error). With in-real-life duties and the progress of IBaH, I won't be revising much (unless it's before the post of the next chapters of this story), but feel free to point out that or any other errors!**

 **Ta-ta~!**


	4. Stay

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

"What?! The big tub?!"

"Yes, the big tub. Now get cleaning."

Rin and I brought our materials to one of the bath stalls, which contained the big tub. I looked it and grimaced at the mess. Rin looked at the dirty stall in disgust.

 _Well, I've helped Rin scrub one of the smaller tubs before, so I'm sure this won't be any different._

Wrong. The gunk that was stuck to the tub just never seemed to come off, and it already took a rather long time to get rid of the strange weeds and grasses. Rin tossed the rag in frustration.

"This is clearly harassment!" Rin yelled.

Maybe it is.

"Hey Sen, can you grab a bath token for an herbal soak from the foreman?" Rin requested and nudged me up the tub.

 _I never bothered asking Yubaba about it, fearing I would be cursed for my stupidity, but I guess I can ask now._

"What's a foreman?" I asked.

Rin briefly explained the role, and I realized that the foreman was that rude frogman working at the podium.

I ran to where the foreman was and requested for a bath token. Because I was human, he kept refusing, but he happily greeted spirits and other workers with a smile and handed them tokens. Rude.

All of a sudden, the same masked creature appeared beside the foreman, but he didn't notice. We had a silent exchange, which the foreman now noticed, but he failed to catch the creature beside him before it disappeared. A token floated towards me, which I gratefully snatched. I quickly thanked the foreman and left.

I ran to the stall with the token in hand and passed it to Rin. She opened a secret door in the wall and clipped the token to a string. She pulled on the string and the token disappeared.

I saw a large wooden pipe appear, and it landed below the tub. Rin and I stood on the ledge of the tub, and Rin handed me a rope that was connected to the tub. We set up the tub as Rin explained about the soak and she left to get our breakfast. My eyes landed on the same masked shadow-like being, who held a lot of bath tokens. It nudged them towards me and I refused. Its mask's mouth seemed to tilt downwards almost in a frown, and the creature slowly vanished, dropping all the tokens. I quickly gathered them in a bucket and continued waiting for Rin.

"Sen!" one of the frogmen called. I turned to the frog and looked at him in confusion.

"Yubaba is calling for you," he stated, and I nodded.

"Thank you. If Rin returns and I'm still gone, please tell her that I'm just in Yubaba's office." The frogman nodded, and I made my way to the elevator.

When I made it to the office, after passing several corridors, I bowed. Yubaba, who was admiring her jewels on a small table, looked up and greeted me with a creepy smile.

"Glad you could make it. I came here to tell you to bring your things with you tonight, and I will bring you to my mansion. Once you're there, one of my maids will be guiding you and showing you around so you won't get lost," Yubaba declared.

 _Tonight?! Isn't it supposed to be tomorrow? Well, it's already twilight, so I'm guessing that's in . . . a few hours?!_

"Is that all, ma'am?"

"I am hoping so," Yubaba said, but her expression suddenly changed.

The witch gathered her jewels in a box and she looked out from her window. She returned to her desk and contacted one of the workers using a skull. The two spoke in hushed voices, and when the call ended, Yubaba turned and looked at me.

 _No, no, no. I should have just gone and set up the tub with Rin at a slower pace before I got here. Time seemed to be moving too fast, and I feel that some other events I just experienced are supposed to happen a little later! Fate, oh beautiful yet unexpected and cruel Fate, what are you planning for me?_

"Sen, we are having a special guest tonight. You will lead them to the big tub, which I'm sure is ready by now. Do you understand?" Yubaba instructed.

I nodded and bowed. "Yes, ma'am."

With a few gestures, Yubaba disappeared, and I felt myself being transported. I opened my eyes and found myself at the entrance of the bathhouse. Several moments later, my nose was invaded by a horrific smell, and I quickly put my hands on my nose.

"You'll insult the guest!" Yubaba scolded.

Strange, dark goo spilled into the bathhouse, and a giant creature completely covered in mud and gunk entered. I cringed.

 _Oh my . . . !_

Yubaba greeted the creature, and it was very obvious that she wished to just leave and return to her office.

"Sen!" she whispered to me and nudged me towards the stinky creature.

I stuck my hands out for payment, and most of it consisted of mud. I felt myself get goosebumps, and I shivered.

I led the creature through the bathhouse until we reached the big tub. Along the way I saw Rin from the corner of my eye, who had our food. Finally, I made it to the bath stall. When it entered, the water was quickly replaced with mud, and I gathered the bucket of bath tokens.

I tried not grimace, for the bottom half of my body was completely drenched in mud. I looked at the creature, who still seemed dissatisfied. I took my bucket with me and searched through the wall for the secret door. When I found it, I used a token, which only ended up falling. I tried another token, and luckily it worked.

The pipe appeared, and I made my way to the rope. The muddy creature was now in front of me by a few inches, and I tried not to gag from the smell. I tugged on the rope, however my clumsiness knew just what to do, and so I slipped. Soon after, I was tugged free by the creature. I felt a strange bump on the creature, and I began to grow suspicious. It felt almost like . . . a twig.

 _Maybe that's the cause for the clogging of all this mud and grime!_ I realized _._

Just in time, Rin entered the stall and came to help me. I informed Rin of the twig-like item stuck in the creature, and Yubaba confirmed her own suspicions. She tossed us some rope, and Rin and I tied the rope around the . . . thorn. Yubaba ordered the workers to pull the rope and we all heaved.

Once the "thorn" was out, it turned out to be a part of a sword, and many more items came out of the muddy being. A village's worth of mess came out of the creature—from the smallest of teacups to the largest of carriages. I plucked the final item from the creature, and I felt my feet slip off of the tub's ledge.

Fortunately, I was saved by the water, which moved to catch me. I floated inside and felt something being placed on my hands. I glanced at it and found a green ball in my hands. I saw a skull-like entity rise from the water and thank me, and it returned into the water. From behind me, I heard the whoops and cheers of the workers, and some happily yelling about gold. Yubaba hushed them and continued to gaze at the tub.

"Sen, you're in our guest's way! Get out and open the door," Yubaba ordered, and I moved away from the tub.

I saw the water ripple and rise, and from it came that same skull, although this time it used the water as its body. For some reason it reminded me of a caterpillar, but I shrugged the thought off and continued to gaze at the creature in interest. The worm-like creature flew through the bathhouse's entrance and outside into the rain.

The workers and guests began to celebrate, and Yubaba tackled me into a suffocating hug. For the first time, she showered me in words of positivity that made my heart warm. I heard Yubaba saying that the "water worm" was actually a river god.

 _Consider me a very lucky runaway Royal to please a real god._

I smiled as I was showered with compliments. I'll most likely treasure this memory. Although as much as I was enjoying this moment, I felt that Fate still has more in store for me.

* * *

I glanced at the drenched purple hair tie on my wrist as I retrieved my other bag from the saddlebag. I transferred all my things to that bag, and I began changing my clothes. I decided to keep my uniform, so I packed it in my bag. If it wasn't time for me to leave yet, I probably would have been celebrating with Rin in the balcony while munching on a red bean bun. I took out the green ball the river god had given me, which I later realized was an herbal cake from a little taste test, and I hid it back in the pocket of my nightgown.

 _Granny, if only you were here. I know I don't remember much about you, but I know that you would comfort me in any way possible. I also know that you won't be happy to know I ran away, but I'm sure you'd be proud to know I've matured throughout this journey._ I kissed the sparkling hair tie. _Please guide me, and help me get over these waves of nervousness and anxiety as I continue my new life in Yubaba's home._

"You ready, Sen?" Rin asked.

"Yeah," I lied.

 _I don't feel—no, I shouldn't use that excuse. Not when I have already used it when my betrothal was announced. Just get over it and keep going!_

I grabbed my bag and gave Rin my saddlebag.

"Thanks, but what do I do with this?"

"Anything. Sell it, store it, that's up to you."

I played with my waist-length brown hair and tied it up in a ponytail again. I went closer to Rin and gave her a hug, which she happily returned.

"I'll miss you. You're like a sister to me, you know?"

I chuckled. "So will I."

I released myself from the hug and gave Rin one final smile as I began to quietly walk outside the room, seeing as most of the workers were asleep. I quickly wiped the tears that began to form and made my way to the office. When I made it, Yubaba was already waiting for me with an impatient look.

 _I guess she's still not entirely fond of me,_ I thought.

"What a ridiculous outfit! Well, it doesn't matter, now hurry up because I still have to get some work done!" Yubaba barked.

I moved closer, and when I was only about a meter away from Yubaba, she began chanting underneath her breath. I felt something shift around me, and light began to swirl around me. It swirled and trapped me like a cage, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them again, I realized that I was no longer in the office.

I looked around and saw some very expensive furniture. They had intricate designs and looked antique like some of the decorations in the office. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and I jumped. I quickly turned around and saw a woman in front of me, who was also dressed in a nightgown.

 _She must be the maid._

She inspected me, and mumbled, "What a strange purpose for a nightgown."

The maid began walking, and I looked at her in confusion. She turned to look at me with an unreadable gaze.

"Well? Follow me, we don't have an unlimited amount of time." I masked my surprise with an apathetic expression.

I followed the maid around as she explained to me about the rooms and halls. She also explained the path, and the location of the maids' quarters. The maid showed me the entrance of the room that belonged to Yubaba's son, as well as Yubaba's own quarters. When we reached the maids' quarters, she stopped and turned to face me.

"There's a spare bed beside the window. You can unpack once you've entered, but please do it quietly so as to not wake anyone up. I bid you a great evening, newcomer," the maid whispered and silently entered the room.

I followed just as quietly, and I dropped my things beside my new bed. I undid my ponytail and settled myself into the thin blanket of my bed, and I began to space out.

 _What a crazy night it was, but it was wonderful. I hope tomorrow—_ today _, would be just as great._

I just kept laying on the bed, changing positions every now and then. Some time has passed, but like my final night at the palace, I never got a single wink of sleep. I quickly sat up and groaned.

 _So much for trying to get some sleep. Hmm, how about wander around for a bit and get to know the mansion more? Okay, it's settled._

I got up and slipped on my flats, and I silently exited the room.

 _Okay, stupid idea. What if I get in trouble for doing this?_ I sighed.

 _Well, what's done is done. Must face the consequences of my crimes._

I walked through the vast corridor as I gazed at the moon shining upon the hall. My nightgown swished with my movements, and my hair did the same, this time much freer compared to its usual bound ponytail.

I kept walking down the moonlit corridor, and I kept walking until I curiously stopped in front of a large set of doors.

 _The maid never explained what's through these doors_ , I thought as I opened one of the large doors.

The door let out a silent squeak, but the noise echoed throughout the area. I gulped and slipped through the doors. I came across another corridor, but it ended with another large set of doors. I walked through the hall and stopped in front of the new set of doors.

 _Does Yubaba have some sort of hall fetish? I've walked through enough halls in this place already._ I began to reach for one of the handles.

 _No more halls, no more halls, no more halls . . ._ I chanted in my head.

This time, the door was completely silent, which I was thankful for. I silently slipped in, and when I turned around I realized that I was in a bedroom. The room was certainly luxurious, yet at the same time the design was plain and relaxing to the eyes compared to the crazy amount of colours from Yubaba's flashy decorations.

It was lit by the moonlight streaming from the open balcony . . . Wait, open?!

 _I think I may have barged into someone's room. Or maybe the balcony has always been open, but there's no way, or else it would be easy for thieves to sneak in._

The curtains blocked the full view of the balcony as it blew with the breeze. I moved closer and thankfully, the carpet silenced my movements. When I reached the entrance of the balcony, I saw a silhouette that idly stood there. I slipped through the flowing curtains and got a full view of the balcony.

My eyes widened as it landed on the figure in front of me. Their dead-straight black hair elegantly flowing with the wind; their lithe figure leaning on the marble railing simply enjoying the view. I heard a masculine voice escape the figure.

"It's rather late to be up, don't you think?" I felt like my legs were about to melt on me as the voice reverberated throughout the area.

 _Ah, how rude of me! Invading someone's room, especially a guy's! So much for royal mannerisms. But he knows I'm here! Oh no, oh no._

I wanted to vanish from the world as I saw the figure turn around, and his emerald-green eyes pierced through me. His figure, his face and oh, his eyes! He looked to be around my age, maybe slightly older, but gods! He was like a magnificent sculpture brought to life!

 _I never knew men this gorgeous existed,_ I thought in enchantment.

His eyes slightly widened, as if in surprise. He quickly masked it with a poker face.

 _Maybe he figured out that I'm new. Hopefully he shows me mercy for accidentally invading his personal space._

"Excuse me, um . . ."

 _He spoke again! What do I do, what do I do?!_ I mentally panicked.

Without thinking, I bowed and apologetically yelled, "I'm so sorry for interrupting your . . . moment. I-I'll be going now! Please forgive me!"

I made a break for it, and I sprinted towards the door. My face felt very warm, so I must have been blushing, a lot. I retraced my steps and ran for the maids' room. I quietly snuck in and hid myself under the blanket of my bed. Yubaba had never mentioned another person freely residing in her manor besides her son—unless by enough oddity he was, in fact, Yubaba's son (who I'm sure needed no caretaker). Never before have I felt so embarrassed!

 _This journey must have made me lose my pride and modesty! Oh no . . ._


	5. In the Guise of a Maid

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

I sat up from my bed and stretched. I looked around and realized that I was the only person in the room. I dressed myself in a short purple kimono robe—an odd choice for a maid's uniform. Just in case, I tucked my herbal cake, now wrapped in some thin parchment, in a pocket hidden in my kimono. I tied my hair into its usual ponytail, and after slipping on some zori sandals, I walked to the bulletin board on one of the room's walls.

 _By now, Yubaba's son must have a caretaker there for him already, so I'll just choose something else for today._ I looked at the list of chores.

 _Dishes: taken. Laundry: taken. Dusting: taken. Floor cleaning: taken. Window wiping: taken. Cooking . . . like I could cook a single meal for my self._ I kept going down the list.

 _Serving the meals: taken. Hmm, no, no, no . . . a-ha! Room cleanup!_ I looked at the instructions and summarized it.

 _Clean occupied rooms. That's it? Sounds easy enough!_

I grabbed the quill by the board and signed my name after dipping the feather in the bottle of ink.

 _S-e-n. There we go! But first, I'll quickly grab some breakfast._

I recalled the directions of the servants' kitchen, and when I reached the kitchen, I gulped down a glass of water and placed it on the sink. I snatched a sandwich and left for the supply room. I finished the rest of my sandwich just as I reached the supply room and grabbed a feather duster.

 _Is this what it's like to live the life of one of the servants? No time to clean your teeth if you get up late, and doing chores all day? But at least better than being married off to a strange man whom you've never met before, who is possibly old enough to be your father_ , I thought as I entered Yubaba's room.

If there were situations in which your eyes would bleed from the sheer amount of colour and flashiness, this would have been one of those situations. Yubaba's room was so flashy, it was absolutely blinding. Everywhere were colourful furniture and decorations with crazy designs, each one obviously expensive. It was far more luxurious and grand than the room I've accidentally entered when I was having my evening stroll around the manor.

I dusted the room and made sure the bed was tidy. When I finished, I left the room. I heard the sound of another set of footsteps running towards me. I turned and saw the same maid who showed me around, but this time her expression was urgent. She panted and looked at me, her expression still showing urgency.

"Yubaba . . . she is asking for you . . . at the . . . bathhouse! It's very urgent!" the maid proclaimed through pants and deep breaths.

I nodded, but I looked at the maid in confusion. "How do I get to the bathhouse?"

The maid pointed towards Yubaba's room and answered, "There should be . . . this noticeable gold pad . . . in the room somewhere . . . and . . . it should . . . teleport you to the bathhouse. Just step on it . . . and you'll be teleported."

I thanked the maid and re-entered Yubaba's room.

 _No time to change into my bathhouse uniform. That maid ran so fast to the point of exhaustion just to alert me, so Yubaba must really need me right now._

I looked around and immediately spotted the gold pad. I stepped on the gold pad and felt the same light from when Yubaba had cast her spell surround me. When the light subsided, I was back in Yubaba's office. I quickly took off my sandals and placed it in one of the pockets of my kimono, separate from where the herbal cake was tucked in. I sprinted out of the office and took an elevator down. When I got off, a frogman ran to me.

"Sen! Yubaba is waiting for you by one of the guest rooms!"

I nodded and ran to where the guest rooms were. After running past several guest rooms, I spotted Yubaba.

"Sen! We have a guest who requests for you! Go in and calm them down, or else I'll turn you into a lump of coal!"

I took several deep breaths and entered the room. The room had all sorts of food scattered messily everywhere, and some of them were even untouched. I turned and saw the same masked creature from yesterday, except this time it was way bigger and had legs, it even had hair on it! It stared at me as saliva spilled from its real mouth.

 _Even though it's surrounded by so much food, it looks hungry. Very hungry. And I bet it's craving for something live and uncooked—like me._ I gulped _._

I gazed at the masked creature—a No-Face monster, Yubaba had explained, and I wore an expression of confidence.

 _I'm sure that this No-Face is not evil. If it was willing to give me a bucket full of bath tokens that night, then that's proof enough that there's a cause for its change in personality._

"Come. I got gold," the No-Face spoke in a slurry voice as it made gold appear in its palm.

 _That's it!_

I recalled the time that every worker hoarded the leftover gold that the river god gave that night. They were all showing . . . greed. The voice that the No-Face also spoke in—it was the same as one of the workers. Did it eat some of the workers? Was it trying to digest their greed until it keeps getting stronger? Okay, I'm making too much assumptions, but there should be a reason as to why I was called here—why this No-Face asked for me. Maybe l . . . can save it, somehow. I felt the herbal cake in my pocket.

 _Might as well try before things get even more out of hand._

I bravely walked towards the No-Face. If I were still the spoiled princess that was always caged in her pretty palace, I probably would have run away in fright and convinced some my guards and servants to handle the situation. But now, I actually thank my parents for making the announcement, or else I wouldn't have become the changed person I now was. Maybe I should pay my parents a visit when I find the time or if Yubaba doesn't curse me.

 _It's now or never._

I reached for the cake in my pocket and tore half of it, in case that I might need it again in the future. I enclosed my hand around the half and took it out. The No-Face looked at me questioningly, but it crawled closer toward me. I smiled in sympathy and pity.

"I'm sorry that these workers have caused you trouble, No-Face. I'm also sorry for letting you in, but without you, I probably wouldn't have been able to please the river god that night, and for that I thank you," I began, and the No-Face began to reach for me.

I slightly backed up, but I stood my ground. I showed the No-Face the half of the herbal cake.

"The river god gave me this cake. I was saving it for emergencies, and if you are aware, this situation is one of them. I'll also give it to you, as a thank you for helping me, and as an apology for the trouble that the workers and I brought upon you. Here," I finished as I tossed the cake into the No-Face's gaping mouth.

 _Hope it works,_ I thought anxiously.

Moments later, the No-Face began puking. It roared in anger and glared at me.

"What did you feed me?!"

I began to make a break for it as the No-Face started chasing me. I exited the room and kept running, but I also made sure that the No-Face was still behind me. I just sprinted to where my gut told me to go, but I was clueless.

 _I did not properly plan this out, did I? Doesn't matter now, because if I was in thought for too long, I'm pretty sure I would already be in No-Face's stomach by the time I'm brought back to reality._

I ran down the floors and made it outside the bathhouse, close to where the train station was. By the time I made it out, the No-Face was now in its original form. I hopped onto a boat that I luckily found parked by the edge of the bathhouse. I quickly learned the controls, and I paddled towards a stone platform in the distance. When I made it, I stood on the stone platform and waited for the No-Face.

 _This is as far as I can go. What do I do now?_ I thought hopelessly.

The No-Face followed me, and I saw it spit out the last worker: the green frog in the blue kimono. When it stopped just a few feet away from me, I kept my head held high and I gazed at it coolly. I slightly trembled under its blank stare and nervously said, "Go on, I'm waiting."

Instead, I got a response that I never expected. The No-Face bowed, and it let out a soft grunt. My stiff figure softened and I slowly walked towards it.

"You're welcome." I squeaked and moved several steps back when I saw a strange force surround No-Face. It swirled and surrounded it, and it stopped until it was like a box.

 _Yubaba must have cast a spell and trapped No-Face!_

I was about to walk towards No-Face, but was stopped by a voice.

"Get out of the way Sen!"

I turned and saw Yubaba flying towards us, still covered in gunk from No-Face's barfing spree. She did a few gestures and No Face vanished. I looked at the spot where it used to stand and looked at Yubaba in horror.

"It's not like I killed it. I only transported it somewhere in my mansion."

I mentally sighed in relief, and I noticed Yubaba's expression become angrier.

"You may have saved the bathhouse from that No-Face, but the damages it caused for your letting it in are worth more than what we have earned today and last night! You are to work the debt off, do you understand?!" Yubaba scolded angrily.

I bowed. "Yes, ma'am."

 _Yes. I shall readily accept the consequences._

"Good. From now on, Haku will be looking after you in case you do anything stupid again. Now, we shall return inside, and I will wash this disgusting sludge off."

 _Who's Haku? Anyway, I don't need to have someone babysit me!_

When we teleported back to the bathhouse, we returned to the office.

"Haku, where are you?! I need you to watch over this brat!" Yubaba shouted and left to prepare her bath.

 _Brat?! For gods' sake you old hag, I'm sixteen!_ I thought in annoyance. _And who is this Haku that's going to babysit me?!_ I mentally added.

I heard another set of footsteps behind me, and I swiftly turned around. My eyes widened when I saw the same gorgeous man from my evening stroll. Instead of the known Victorian-styled clothes, he wore traditional clothing like the rest of the workers, and he looked rather good in it. I gave myself a mental slap.

"Yubaba has requested that I watch over you. I still have some duties to attend to, so follow me," he said and began to exit the office.

 _So this guy's name is Haku. Goodness, I just want to see Rin again . . ._

I quietly followed Haku, and I noticed how everyone bowed as we passed by. I caught a glimpse of Rin and gave her a small wave.

"Master Haku is back! He looks as handsome as ever!" one of the female workers whispered, and her fellow companions giggled in agreement.

I had to admit, Haku was handsome. In fact, he was drop-dead gorgeous! But he didn't seem to be my type, not that I knew what type of guy I preferred.

I silently followed him like a shadow and kept noticing how Haku sent cold looks towards those who were out of task. I heard my stomach rumble, and I felt my face warm as I clenched my stomach in embarrassment. Haku stopped and turned his head to look at me.

 _Was that sandwich I had not enough? Or is it because it's way past lunch?_

"Here," he said, and took out a white ball from his uniform and handed it to me.

I politely thanked him and looked at it. Onigiri, is what they called it here, or a rice ball. I took a bite and moaned in delight. It was very tasty, even if there was no sauce that came along with it. I then had a realization.

 _I must be a nuisance to him. Hungry I was, but he was generous enough to give me his food. No matter how much I've changed, I'm still the spoiled princess who ran away from her duties._ I felt my eyes water.

I lowered my head in shame as I reached towards Haku and grabbed his shoulder. He turned his head and looked at me in confusion.

"I know this is the second time we've seen each other, but you must already think of me as a nuisance, and I'm sorry . . ." I apologized as tears spilled down my cheeks.

Haku looked at me in concern, but he snatched the hand on his shoulder and began to lead me somewhere. We headed outside, still barefoot, and we ran to a bush of flowers. Haku sat on the grass and patted the bare spot beside him. I sat down beside him, and he handed me a package. I looked at it questioningly but grabbed it and opened the package. More onigiri.

"I—I'm sorry for eating your food."

"There is no need to worry, I can get some more later. Right now you must eat."

I looked at him and smiled in gratitude. I held a rice ball and handed it to him.

"Here. I can't repay you right now, so please, have it. Food is best enjoyed with others, right?" Haku stared at the onigiri in surprise, but he smiled and took it.

"You're right. Thank you."

We snacked on the onigiri in silence, but it held a positive air. I looked up at the late afternoon sky and enjoyed the feel of the sunlight hitting my face.

"It feels very satisfying to share, and it leaves this warm feeling in your heart," I commented as I looked at the clouds drifting by.

From the corner of my eye I saw Haku nod, and I stuffed the last onigiri in my mouth. My tears once again spilled down my face. A sob slipped past my lips as I chewed on the rice. Haku looked at me again and the worry returned.

"Are you all right?"

For once, I actually submitted to the truth. I shook my head and more sobs escaped my mouth. I swallowed the rice and began to speak. Won't hurt to confide, right? Besides, he seemed to be trustworthy.

"I ran away, and every day I still have regrets about it. My parents told me I was to be betrothed to a prince from another kingdom, and later that evening I made my escape. I travelled all the way here, just in my nightgown. Can you believe it? I was only in my nightgown! I've seen the odd glances sometimes tossed my way as I travelled. Anyway, although I feel much freer, I really miss my parents." More sobs escaped me.

Haku gathered me into his arms, and I continued to cry. He was very warm, and like Rin, he had some qualities that makes up a great friend.

"I can feel your pain," he mumbled, and I looked up.

"Like the rest of the workers here, my name was taken from me. Yubaba must have cast a strong spell after, because I don't remember much of what my life used to be like before I became her apprentice," he uttered.

We sat there in silence, but eventually I released myself from the embrace and stood up. I looked at Haku in the eye and smiled. Our interaction was more than how strangers would act with each other, so I guess it's time to hit it off.

"Thank you. I'll never forget the kindness you've showed me. Let's have a proper introduction, shall we? My name is Chihiro, and yours?"

Haku gladly took my hand and gently shook it. "Haku."

"Let's be good friends okay?"

Haku nodded and I grinned. We made our back inside the bathhouse in pleasant silence.


	6. Enigma

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

" _Mama, why can't I go outside?" I asked as I looked out the large window of the office. My mother looked up from her paperwork and smiled at me sadly._

" _Sweetie, you're only four. It's far too dangerous outside," my mother answered._

 _I began to look at my mother pleadingly. "Can we please go somewhere, Mama? Somewhere far but fun to go to? Please, please, please?"_

 _My mother sighed and shook her head. She glanced back at the pile of papers stacked in front of her._

" _One day. When you're much bigger and stronger, we can go together and have some fun in a far-away kingdom, okay? Just the three of us." I smiled and nodded vigorously._

" _I want to grow up now!" I declared as I twirled around the office, as if a fairy would just suddenly appear out of nowhere and grant my wish._

" _You have to be patient. It takes much longer to grow up, and years of eating your vegetables."_

 _I pouted, and mumbled, "But I don't like veggies, Mama . . ."_

 _My mother laughed. "I know, but if you wish to grow up nice and strong to be able to see more of the world, you have to eat your vegetables. And the chefs work very hard to prepare dishes for us to eat._

" _Okay. But one day, I will go to a place full of magic and wonder. Things like the ones in my story books._ _And if there is evil, I will fight them off as a princess in shining armour!" I uttered dreamily as I looked at the smooth floor._

 _My mother shook her head and replied, "Sweetie, you're dreaming too big. I'm sure fate has other plans for you."_

 _I frowned and looked at my mother with sad but determined eyes. No one shall ruin_ _my dreams, not even my Mama!_

" _Mama, it's always Fate this, Fate that. Maybe she does have other plans, but I know she'll grant my wish one day, just not now," I stated, my tone laced with determination and hope._

" _I don't think fate is a person, dear."_

" _To you, she isn't. To me, she is, and she's watching everyone like a second Mama!" My mother shook her head again. She continued inspecting and signing the stack of documents on her desk._

" _I hope you are right. If she watches over us, then I only ask of her to take good care of you and to guide you to the right path."_

* * *

I sat up from my bed and groaned sleepily. I looked around the room as I reached for my hairbrush.

 _Everyone's gone again. I really should get used to their sleep schedule, or I'll be fired very soon, or worse, be turned into a clock or something, of all the ironic things._

I gently tugged on the knots that have formed overnight and I tied my brown hair into a ponytail. I dressed into the same kimono uniform I used yesterday and slipped on the sandals. While inspecting myself with my small mirror, I saw an envelope lying on my drawer. I grabbed it and opened it, which revealed to be a letter addressed to me.

 _Sen, for now you may have a different schedule compared to the rest of the servants, but that doesn't mean you won't face your punishment. Once you wake up, you are to go to my office immediately; Haku should be there waiting for you. He will instruct you with several chores that were intended for some of the servants, so consider yourself lucky that I'm not doing anything more worse! Haku will be eyeing your progress, and he will inform me by the end of the day. Now go! You have work to do!_

I crumpled the paper and heaved a sigh as I tossed the paper into a bin. At least it wasn't something like retrieving treasure from a dungeon filled with monsters. I exited the maids' quarters and made my way to Yubaba's office.

 _At least I'm also with Haku, but it seems that there's no time to catch some breakfast in the kitchen._

When I found Yubaba's office, which was right across from her quarters, I entered and bowed in greeting. Haku stood by Yubaba's desk and greeted me with a nod.

"Sen, you will start off with doing the laundry with some of the maids. Follow me."

We both exited the office and walked down several halls. I looked out the large windows and saw the gardeners trimming the bushes.

 _It's a very good day to go out, but I have to go with Yubaba's punishment._

"Um, Haku—"

"Not now, and address me as Master Haku," he uttered coldly.

My heart skipped a beat. _Huh? Aren't we friends? Now that I think about it, he called me Sen. Only he and Rin know about my real name, so like Rin—and I'm pretty sure I told her a few days ago—maybe he prefers to call me Sen?_ I thought in sadness and confusion.

* * *

It was already afternoon, and I finished the sandwich that I had quickly snatched while on my way to the office in the morning. I wiped bead of sweat that began to trail down my forehead.

"So, _Master Haku_ , what is the next task?" I asked mockingly and I received an icy stare from Haku.

He continued to inspect the floor I had just recently wiped. I tilted my head for an answer and patiently raised a brow. He looked back at me from the corner of his eye.

"Your final task for the day will be to watch over Boh," he stated calmly.

"Boh?"

"He's Yubaba's son."

"Easy enough."

"Wrong. He can be quite a handful to newcomers, and some of Boh's caretakers have actually ended up dying from his squeezes and tantrums. Those who ended up surviving Boh's dissatisfaction were cursed by Yubaba soon after." I shuddered. I couldn't have myself die from a mere baby.

As if reading my mind, Haku said, "Boh is no mere baby, and you should already know that because of what I told you. He's actually much larger than Yubaba."

 _What?! So I have to watch over a ginormous baby who has killer tantrums?! Good luck to me,_ I mentally cried. When we made it to Boh's room, I nervously gulped. Haku rested his hand on my arm in assurance.

"Don't worry. I'll be there with you." I nodded, and we both went in.

The room was pretty much more like a playroom, as toys and colourful pillows were scattered everywhere. The bed, however, was the size of my own bed, maybe a little larger. By the bed was a very large pile of pillows. I saw faint movement from the pillow pile and bit my lip. Haku stayed by the door while I moved closer to the pile, and I heard a high-pitched voice come from the pillows.

"Who's there?" So this baby was able speak.

"U-um, I'm Sen, and I'll be your caretaker for today," I answered nervously.

"Another one of you caretakers? I don't need one, now go away!" Something about Boh stuck out to me, so I persevered.

"I'm sorry, but I won't go away so easily."

A large head poked out of the pile of pillows and glared at me. He dug himself out of the pillows and stood. Boh was certainly very large, but overall he looked like any other baby. I gulped, but I looked up at him determinedly.

"Then I'll squeeze you like I did with most of the caretakers."

"Are you not aware that they, too, have families? You have your mother, and they have their own, possibly even kids like you."

"So? I'm more important."

"A very ignorant and spoiled child you are. I don't see any 'important' traits about that."

Boh looked surprised, but then his eyes began to water. "When I tell my Mama that I cried, you'll really regret it."

I kept a cold and stern look. "Go ahead. I don't care anymore. I actually tried to gain your favour, because you reminded me of myself back then. Like you, I was spoiled and unaware of the real world that lay outside the walls. The only difference was, I _wanted_ to see that world, while you don't seem interested at all. Now that I've actually escaped those walls, I grew to understand there is more to life than just staying indoors, laying around feasting and enjoying so much luxuries. Within those walls, I had everything—but I didn't deserve them because I didn't do anything worthy to win such luxurious things."

A few silent moments passed.

". . . germs," Boh finally mumbled, and I tilted my head in confusion.

"Excuse me?"

"My Mama said the world is full of so much germs that I could get sick just touching the ground," Boh answered with a louder voice.

"Your mother said that?" I asked, and Boh nodded in confirmation.

I looked at the door, at Haku, who seemed to have a proud look on his face. Suddenly, an idea popped up in my mind, and I grinned. I turned back and looked at Boh.

"Well, how about we see if your mother is right? If you do get sick, I'll immediately call the medical team and will face any consequence. If you turn out to be just fine, then tell me what you've experienced. So, would you like to come outside with me?" I suggested.

Boh rapidly shook his head and replied, "I'm scared. The germs might kill me."

"Then feel free to squeeze me to death if your mother's 'advice' is true." I said and stuck out my hand. "It can be fine to take risks, and it makes the adventure all the more fun."

Boh nervously looked at my hand and touched my palm with some of his oversized fingers.

"O-okay. Where are we going, Sen?"

I looked at Haku and smiled. I thought of the first place in this land that may look welcoming to Boh. I turned back to look at the giant baby.

"Let's go to the gardens, Boh. It's very beautiful there, and I'm sure you'll really like it."

"O-okay."

I carefully led him outside the room, with Haku silently trailing behind us. We walked together through the halls until we made it outside. As several servants passed by, they looked at us with shocked and incredulous expressions. When the three of us reached the gardens, I gently urged Boh to step on the grass. Much to Boh's reluctance, he eventually stepped on the grass and gazed at the gardens in awe. He grinned and began to walk on the grass on his own.

"This is amazing, Sen!" Boh exclaimed as he happily hopped around the grass.

We gazed at the flowers and greenery. We also looked at the fountains and hedges. When we returned to Boh's room, he gently hugged me in gratitude. He looked at me and laughed. I smiled and laughed along with him. I guess he and I really did share some similarities.

"Thank you so much, Sen! I did get the germs, but I didn't get sick, and they aren't so bad! The gardens were also very pretty, and I wish to visit it again one time! Let's play together again soon, Sen!" Boh expressed joyfully as he jumped on his pillow pile, now back in the room.

"Yeah, let's. You aren't so bad. You just need a little push out of your comfort zone, and you can be just like any other wonderful child. And don't forget, we're all important in our own way. Now I must get going, or else Haku here will grow impatient," I said happily.

Boh frowned, but he waved at me as I began to exit his room. I waved back and joined Haku, who was already outside. The sun was already setting and the sky was beginning to darken.

"You did great, Chihiro," Haku proudly whispered, and I smiled.

"Thank you. Shall we get some dinner?" I suggested.

Haku nodded. "We can eat at my room. Very little of the servants go through that part of the mansion. Seeing us eat together and interact on very friendly terms will most likely raise suspicion among the staff."

 _And I'm sure they'll talk, and next thing you know there are rumours that have risen among the staff. If there's also a Haku fan club among the maids, which there most likely is considering his insanely good looks and enigmatic exterior, it'll give me a bad reputation and might cause them to mistreat me._ I shuddered at the thought.

* * *

I stood outside with Haku in his balcony eating more onigiri, which lately I grew very fond of. I munched on the rice and looked at Haku, who was also doing the same. Our eyes met, but I quickly averted my gaze towards the night sky.

"So, why did you call me Sen this morning, and why must I address you as Master Haku now?" I asked.

"Would you rather join the act and play along or get caught in a storm of rumours about our . . . possible relationship?" Haku answered with a question of his own.

"Okay, you have a point there. I guess I asked a pretty stupid question," I said and chuckled.

Haku gave a small smile and lightly shook his head. "No, I'm sure I'd also wonder if I were in your shoes. But if you really do think, then the answer is right there."

I nodded and bit my onigiri. "Yeah."

We gazed at the night sky as we ate our rice balls, enjoying the silence and each other's company. The silence gradually grew awkward, so I decided to clear the air a bit.

"So, how long is my punishment?" I asked.

"Yubaba has yet to inform me if she will, so for now I do not know. If I were to guess, I'd say for a month," Haku answered.

"If all these days involve watching over Boh, then I'd gladly do it, no matter what I have to do before playing the role as Boh's caretaker and new friend," I said with a small chuckle.

* * *

Haku's guess was, in fact, correct. Yubaba's punishment went on for a month, and the whole time I was assigned to do most of the servants' chores. When Yubaba heard of how fond of me her son was, she had me watch over him and play with him three days a week. Now, half a month had passed since my punishment ended.

"Everyone listen! My sister will be visiting in a few hours, so have a break for all I care, as long as you don't serve my sister!" Yubaba announced, and everyone cheered. Yubaba clearly had a certain dislike for her sister.

"We get a break!" one of the chefs exclaimed and embraced some his fellow workers.

"So, what are you going to do during the break?" one of the gardeners asked.

"I'll be staying at a friend's cottage catching up with them," a maid answered.

"For me, I will visit my parents and see how they're doing. Ever since I left, I've been worrying about them," another maid answered, who was also the maid who first showed me around the manor.

 _Now that I think about it, I haven't seen my parents in quite a while now. Although I ran away, I miss them, and I wonder how they're doing,_ I thought.

I still had some regrets about running away, but I knew it was pretty much worth it, no matter what circumstance, even if it was worrying one's parents to death. Okay, that made me sound heartless, but I wasn't. I missed them, very much.

 _Maybe I should visit them,_ I considered.

I knocked on one of the doors of Yubaba's office. If I were to visit them, I should ask how long the break is. I heard Yubaba's rough answer and slipped into her office. I bowed and looked at Yubaba, who was inspecting her jewels.

"What is it that you need, Sen?"

"Excuse me, ma'am, but do you know how long we are able to go on a break for?" I asked politely.

"My sister, Zeniba, will most likely stay for a few weeks. I'll cast a spell and inform everyone about my sister's leaving. Is that all?" Yubaba answered in her usual harsh tone.

I bowed. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

I quietly left the office and made my way back to the maids' quarters. Most of the maids were packing some of their things to bring with them for the break, and I also began to pack. I packed my bathhouse uniform, in case things got too crazy that I actually needed to disguise myself, my remaining gold—which the foreman returned to me after Yubaba spoke of my job transfer—and pretty much anything I found useful. I looked at my slightly tattered nightgown and shorts, and I bit my lip in thought.

 _I really need to get some new clothes to wear. I can't have a ruined nightgown and shorts for everyday clothing, or I would stick out like a sore thumb_ , I thought as I stared at my folded nightgown and shorts. _Okay, maybe I should go shopping for some clothes I can wear before I leave._

I left the maids' quarters and made my way to Haku's own quarters. When I reached the doors to his room, I gently knocked on the doors. The doors opened to reveal a rather irritated Haku, but his expression immediately softened upon noticing me. He ushered me in and I settled myself on a couch in his incredibly spacious room.

"So, what is it that you need, Chihiro?" Haku asked.

I fiddled with my thumbs and quietly answered, "I want you to come with me."

Haku looked at me in confusion. "Come with you to where?"

"Um, to shop for some new clothes somewhere, since my nightgown and shorts are pretty much worn out."

Haku seemed to be in thought for a few moments, until he finally answered, "All right, I'll come."

I brightened and I gave a grateful smile.

"First, can you please recommend me some places nearby where I can buy some clothes?" I asked shyly.

* * *

 **Response to AppleBagelUnicron: Hi, thank you for your review! It's a little late, I know, but better than nothing at least. Anyway, the thing with the "movie script" is intended. I tried to add some of the movie (and telling from your review with great success), but since it is an AU, I added some other details (like the content connected to the "thorn" in the river god) that are a little more in the medieval-fantasy-ish mix. But things will start to take a drastic turn, and it's AU-ness will definitely start showing (it already did a bit here) in future chapters. But again, thank you for pointing that out!**

 **To other readers: Again, feel free to review and criticize, and I'll try to respond (without spoiling little to nothing).**


	7. A Life of Simplicity

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

 _So many clothes,_ I thought in awe as I admired the clothing that were displayed in the shop.

The shop held different kinds of clothing for both the male and female customers, even for children. There were the usual dresses that my kingdom had, while there were also some of the traditional kimonos. I eyed the dresses and hummed in thought.

 _They all look so beautiful. But, I'd rather wear a dress that's not too flashy, easy to walk around in, and one that does not require a corset. Anything but a corset, please_ , I contemplated as I admired the dresses.

As I walked down an aisle of clothing, a certain dress had caught my eye. I went closer to get a better look at it. It was simple, yet it held some elegance. It was also such a beautiful shade of purple, but not too flashy. It seemed easy to walk in too, and the dress only reached to the knees. Luckily it was around my size, and it seemed to not require a corset. I grabbed the dress and brought it to the merchant who was selling it.

"Um, excuse me," I called.

"Yes?"

"How much does this dress cost?" I asked as I held up the dress.

"Three hundred gold pieces," the merchant answered nonchalantly.

My eyes widened. _Three hundred?! I probably only have a hundred._

"Oh . . ." I mumbled dejectedly.

"I'll buy the dress," a voice spoke up. I turned around and saw Haku.

I forgot he was still with me. My face slightly reddened in embarrassment.

 _I should repay him in the future_ , I thought as I looked at him. Haku paid for the dress and handed it to me. I happily took it and thanked him.

"I'll repay you in the future," I said, but Haku shook his head.

"There's no need. Ever since I started my apprenticeship in Yubaba's manor, I've been given more than enough money to live a life of luxury."

"Oh."

We both kept walking through the market, the crowds blocking out the sound of our footsteps as we walked on the gravel. As the time passed we decided to return to the mansion through Haku's powers. I changed into my new dress and my ballet flats. I tucked my sandals in my bag and headed out of the maids' quarters.

I went towards the mansion's lobby where so many servants were gathered, my new dress now comfily hugging my body. The lobby held a few of the same golden pads that Yubaba had in her room, and each one had a lineup of servants waiting to be teleported to a destination. Before I went to join one of the lineups, I turned to look at Haku, who was by the large doors of the lobby. We both walked to a secluded part in the lobby where the servants wouldn't see us.

"Thank you. I hope I haven't been to much of a nuisance to you during the past almost-two months."

Haku shook his head and replied, "Chihiro, you are no nuisance to me, and you will never be. So far you've made my life in this place much brighter, so it is I who should thank you."

I felt my face slightly redden, pleased. I tackled Haku in a hug, which he gladly returned. I buried my face in his chest and sighed. The embrace was very warm, and I did not wish to release myself from it, but I had to. I released myself from the hug and looked at Haku.

"I hope you won't be too lonely while I'm gone. I'll be sure to bring you something back, okay?" Haku nodded.

"Stay safe, Chihiro."

I nodded and said, "I will. I must get going now, since this break doesn't last forever."

Once again I brought Haku into another quick embrace. "Since Zeniba is coming, you're most likely going to be subbing for the bathhouse. If by some chance you run across a worker named Rin, please greet her for me."

I was about to join the servants, but was stopped when Haku grasped my wrist. He pulled me closer to him and clipped something to my hair. I felt the item on my head and realized it was a hairpin.

"The hairpin will connect you to me. To contact me, touch the hairpin and wish for it," Haku explained, and I nodded.

He gestured for me to go. I left the secluded area and joined one of the lineups. When it was my turn, I stepped on the pad. Unlike Yubaba's pads, which already had a set destination, the pads here didn't.

 _While in the market, I remember Haku telling me about thinking of my destination. Now, time to see if it works._

I shut my eyes and thought of the place where I wanted to be teleported to, which was the palace I grew up in. Just in case of possibly being teleported to the roof, I thought of my room. I felt something rise within me, and when I opened my eyes again, I found myself in my room.

It looked just the way I had left it months ago, except for my tidied bed. I quickly left my things by my neat bed. I exited the room and was bombarded by the surprised and joyous eyes of the servants.

"Your Highness!" one of my ladies-in-waiting exclaimed and ran to me.

The other servants gathered around me and looked at me as if I was a goddess that came to save them from their struggles.

"We must inform His and Her Majesty of such wonderful news!" one of the butlers decided and ran to wherever my parents could be.

A few moments later, the crowd of servants made room for my parents. My mother and father looked at me in shock and through teary eyes. My mother embraced me and sobbed.

"Oh, Chihiro! You're here, you're really here!"

"I'm glad to see you again, Mom!" I said as tears flowed down my cheeks. My father also embraced me, but his sobs were louder than my mother's.

"We're so sorry for what we've put you through, sweetie. Daddy is here with you again." I nodded.

My mother sniffed and shakily said, "Come, and let's talk together in your room."

My mother ushered me in my room, with my father quietly following behind us. The crowd of servants eventually dissipated and returned to their duties. My parents and I sat on my bed and enjoyed each other's company.

"Where were you?! We were worried sick!" my mother cried.

I stared at my hands and fiddled with my fingers. "I was in the Kingdom of Spirits, Mom," I answered quietly.

My parents both looked at me in disbelief. I averted my gaze and looked out the large window of my room.

 _Wait for it. In three, two, one—_

Just as predicted, my mental countdown was interrupted when my mother shouted, "You were what?!"

 _And so this is the next part of the parent-daughter war,_ I thought and mentally prepared myself for the yells and scoldings.

"Didn't I tell you years ago not to go there?! It's dangerous there, what if you were severely hurt—or worse, _killed_?!" my mother shouted.

"It's not so bad there," I protested.

"So?! There are many dangerous things there!"

"It is dangerous, but there are also so many beautiful and safe places to be in. I've been to Aburaya, Mom, and once you really know what you're doing it's not so bad!" I argued.

My father clapped for our attention, which he received. "Ladies, I believe this is the wrong time to be arguing. We should celebrate, not have a screaming contest."

My mother sighed. "You're right. Thank you, dear."

My father grinned in triumph. Suddenly, my father seemed to have brightened about something.

"Say, how about we host a ball, to celebrate the return of our daughter?" My father suggested.

My mother perked up. "That's a great idea! We should make preparations starting now, and the ball can be in five days!"

Unfortunately for my parents, I heard my mom whisper, "Who knows, maybe Chihiro will bump into a handsome prince from a prestigious kingdom!"

"I heard that, and I don't think that will happen."

For the first time in a while, my parents and I had burst out laughing.

 _I should loosen up and enjoy. This is my break after all._ I thought through the smiles and laughter.

* * *

I laid myself on my bed and looked around my dark room. My eyes landed on the small silhouettes of my hair tie and hairpin resting on my nightstand. I felt my hand wrap around the hairpin and I watched my hand bring it up to my face. I began inspecting the hairpin in the dark.

If I were to recall the colours, it was a mix of many beautiful ones—like baby-blue and silver. It was also decorated with different kinds of jewels. The hairpin was also in the shape of a . . . cloud?

 _Haku, we've only known each other for about a month, so why give something of value and magical properties to me?_ I mentally asked, but obviously I got no answer. _Anyway, I'm glad my parents cancelled my betrothal. I feel much freer now._

An idea popped up in my mind and a small smile formed on my lips. I continued to grip the hairpin, but this time I added a little wish—a wish to contact a certain friend. I put all my thought and feelings into that wish, and I felt something rise within me.

" _Chihiro?"_ a voice spoke inside my head.

I grinned and mentally replied, " _I'm glad that I was able to reach you, Haku."_

" _Of course. The communication spell in the hairpin is able to reach at an unlimited distance."_ I laughed.

" _I'm very happy I could speak to you, even if it's in my mind,"_ I said.

I heard a small chuckle rumble in my mind. For some odd reason, I felt my stomach flip. Spell's side effect, maybe?

" _I'm relieved to know you were able to use the spell. You can contact me at any time. So how is your break so far?"_

" _It's fine. At first, things were a little bumpy with my parents, but we're back in smooth waters,"_ I replied.

" _That's great to hear."_

" _So, what about you? What are you doing so far?"_ I asked in curiosity.

" _You know I was going to temporarily govern the bathhouse. So far, things are going all right. However, something came up, so instead the foreman will be substituting for both me and Yubaba in a few days,"_ Haku answered.

" _I see. Do you mind telling me why you're unable to work in the bathhouse hours after you were just requested to do so?"_

" _I have to go on . . . 'a mission', as Yubaba called it, although I don't really see it as a complicated one. It's only for about day, and after that I'll be temporarily taking over the bathhouse again until Yubaba's sister has left."_

" _Oh. Well, whatever you're doing right now, I'm sorry for taking your time. I need to get sleeping now, it's been a while since I've had a very relaxing time in bed. Have a good night, Haku."_ I said.

" _Good night, Chihiro."_ Were the last words I heard before we broke the spell.

I rested my hairpin back on my nightstand and stared at the ceiling, which had beautiful and intricate paintings of a story. The whole time, my heart was pumping more blood than usual. I clenched the part where my heart was and thought, _Maybe another side effect of the spell. If so, then my heart was affected quite a bit, as well as my stomach. If not, then maybe Haku had cast some sort of spell before I left._

I eyed the story being told through my ceiling. I lifted my hand towards the ceiling and tried to touch the smooth stone of the ceiling high above, but it was a very useless attempt.

 _Haku. What kind of spell have you cast upon me?_ I asked in my mind before my eyes closed and felt my hand drop back to my side.

* * *

 _The roof's picturesque scene started swirling, and the story began to unfold . . ._

 _A red-haired woman, clad in a beautiful white and red hanfu, strolled through a meadow, and butterflies amassed to inspect the woman's beauty._

 _The woman kept walking until she reached the edge of the meadow, which led to a roofed bridge. Past the bridge she went, until she reached a tiny, welcoming gazebo, surrounded by a streaming river. In the middle, sat something even smaller—a crib. The red-haired woman walked towards the crib, and the bundle nestled in it let out a coo._

 _The woman smiled and lifted the bundle, revealing a baby girl, her head a shining sky-blue._

" _So tiny you are," the woman said. "Indeed."_

 _The baby only responded with a cheerful gurgle. The woman settled the baby back into the crib, and she stared back at the meadow, the butterflies still swarmed together from a distance. The woman's beautiful lips tilted downward._

" _It's a tragedy I cannot change the past with you, sweet daughter of mine. I'm sure you would be happier now, but not even I could un-change what has been changed, and it is also because it was_ I _, who had changed it."_

* * *

My mother's main lady-in-waiting helped me get ready. She slipped me into one of my fanciest dresses—of course, not without the corset that I've always despised. She did my hair into an elegant bun and clipped the hairpin—after several begs and protests—that Haku had recently given to me on the side of my head.

I presented myself to my mother in my room. I twirled my skirts around and received claps of satisfaction and delight from my mother.

"You look amazing, Chihiro!" my mother complimented with a smile.

I smiled in return. "Thanks, Mom."

"Let us head to the ballroom. Your father is there waiting for us."

I followed my mother through the halls. We made our way to the ballroom through the third floor. When we stood behind the large doors that separates the ballroom from the rest of the halls, I took a deep breath. My mother gently pat my arm.

"I know you'll do great, honey."

"I hope so. This is my first ball in . . . well, years!" My mother chuckled.

"Um, so who did you invite?" I asked.

"I invited the royal families of our allied kingdoms, along with other people they chose to invite. Oh, and I also invited your grandmother's family," my mother answered calmly.

I perked up and glanced at my mother, who was patiently staring at the doors. "My grandmother's family?" I questioned curiously.

My mother nodded. My eyes once again settled on the large set of doors. Through the doors I heard the faint sound of chatter and announcements. My mother looked at me and reassuringly stuck out her hand.

"It's time. Are you ready?"

I gulped and answered, "Yeah."

I took her hand and my mother began to lead me through the doors. When we entered, our presence wasn't noticed until the announcer fulfilled his duty.

"Announcing Princess Chihiro and Queen Yuuko!" announced the announcer, and almost every head turned to where my mother and I were.

I firmly gripped my mother's hand, but gentle enough. My mother and I each gave a light bow. We walked down the large stone stairs to where the guests were. My mother gave me a light squeeze.

"As Queen I must still speak to my subjects. But this is also your party, so you go on ahead, but remember to show proper etiquette," my mother whispered and released her hold on my hand. In a way, it was like releasing a tamed animal into the wild.

Guests surrounded my mother and started conversations, and I walked away from the crowd and made my way back up the stairs. I silently watched my mother speak to the guests.

"Queen X and King X, from the Kingdom of X!" the announcer announced.

I listened to the announcements while staring at the crowds chattering amongst each other.

"Lord Y and Lady Y, from the Kingdom of Y!" The announcer once again announced.

"Why aren't you down there among the guests?" a voice piped in. I turned around and saw my father, who was also looking at the ballroom.

"Oh, hello, Dad. To answer your question, it's because it's calm here. And I don't think there's anyone that interests me. Thank you for the party, though," I said as I looked at the crowds chattering and dancing.

My father nodded, and said, "Well, I'll be joining your mother now. Have fun, dear!"

My father walked down the steps and left me alone. I continued to look at the crowd and listened to the guest announcements.

 _I wonder who in my grandmother's family is coming. Anyway, might as well join in on the party. It is dedicated to me, after all,_ I thought and began to make my way down the stairs.

Some of the guests surrounded me and greeted me, some starting conversations.

"Oh, Princess! My husband and I are so relieved to see you alive and healthy! I hope you continue to keep growing wonderfully!" one of the court ladies from a neighbouring country commented.

"Thank you," I replied in gratitude.

"Princess, I heard one of your grandmother's relatives are coming to visit. Are you excited?" a lady asked.

"Of course. Maybe I can collect more information concerning my grandmother's current whereabouts. I also can't wait to meet them, since I've never really gotten the chance to know more about my grandmother's family," I answered.

"I am so sorry for your grandmother's sudden disappearance all those years ago. I hope you aren't too sad about that now."

"Thank you. Wherever my grandmother now is, I hope she's living a happy and healthy life."

The guests and I spoke for several more minutes until I heard the announcer's voice reverberate throughout the large ballroom. Everyone's heads turned towards the announcer in expectation.

"Announcing—" The announcement was interrupted. Some for the guests whispered in confusion, but then the announcement continued.

"Er, it seems that we have a special guest tonight. The relative of the Queen's mother seems to be busy at the moment, so instead she sent someone to substitute for her," the announcer began. More whispers and murmurs arose within the crowd.

"I guess my aunt isn't able to come. I wonder who the person was that she sent," I heard my mother say in curiosity.

The announcer cleared his throat. "Announcing Lord Haku, substitute of Lady Yubaba from the Kingdom of Spirits!" he finished.

I immediately perked up upon hearing the name, then I shook my head in doubt.

 _This party must be getting boring if I were to actually mishear that announcement,_ I thought, sighing.

I heard the squeals of the women among the guests, which made me even more confused. I decided to see if I heard the announcement correctly, so I made my way closer to the doors that connected the ballroom to the great outdoors. When I reached a near distance, I gaped.

Standing in front of the doors was Haku, all dressed in fancy getup. I'm pretty sure that if I weren't aware as to who he was, I would've mistaken him as a handsome prince. Yes, handsome as usual he was, very.

 _What the fu—_

My thoughts were interrupted when Haku's gaze landed on mine. I gulped as I felt my cheeks grow warm.

 _He looks so handsome that it's actually rather scary,_ I thought in awe and shock.

My already-racing heart rose when I saw Haku walk to my direction.

Once I heard one of my mother's ladies-in-waiting talk about something regarding your friends. You find them somewhere other than the place where you always see them, you run. Maybe, that was the case at the moment. I turned to one of the ladies, who was ogling Haku's moving form. I quickly tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Hey, he's going to you! Go and get him!"

The lady nodded vigorously and went to Haku. I gathered my skirts and dashed for the balcony in the second floor. When I made it, I grasped the railing and heaved a sigh.

 _That was close. Wait, why am I running away from Haku, one of my very first friends? Maybe what that lady-in-waiting said was true. It's very unexpected to see him here. Why even is he here?_

I got lost in my thoughts and became unaware of my surroundings. After a few moments of thinking, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned and jumped upon seeing who it was. Green met brown, and at that moment I felt something inside me leap.

 _It's him, it's him, it's him! Should I run? Should I stay put?_

My attention snapped back to Haku when I saw him slightly frown. I moved a a step back and felt my back touch the balcony's railing. Little, meek me just wanted to jump, but that would make it a death wish.

"Chihiro, why are you running from me?" Haku asked.

"U-uh, I . . . think you got the wrong person, sir!" I lied, a very bad lie.

Haku furrowed his brows and moved closer. I tried moving back another step, but I quickly realized that there was no more room to move back. I bit my lower lip and gulped. Since I could no longer go backwards, I turned around and made my eyes land on a random object in the scenery in front of me. That plan failed, because Haku firmly grasped my arm and turned me back around to face him.

"I know it's you, so please tell me why you wish to escape from me."

My only response was the blood rushing to my cheeks. What can I say? _"Oh, Haku! It's just that when these eyes of mine landed on you when you made your dashing entrance, your handsomeness was so blinding that it scared me! Oh, and it's weird seeing you here, when you should be at the bathhouse, that's all."_ Certainly a very bad idea.

Our faces were inches apart from each other until they could touch. Haku moved a few steps back and averted his gaze.

"I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable," Haku apologized sincerely.

"Oh, no, it's okay! It's just, I was very shocked seeing you here that I followed the only idea that came to mind, which was to run." Well, that answered his question.

Haku nodded and questioned, "So, what are you doing here? I didn't expect you to be here. Are you by some chance connected to the princess of this kingdom?"

 _More like, what are_ you _doing here?_

"Uh, actually . . . I'm the princess that this party is dedicated to. If you were told, this ball was hosted in celebration of my return," I answered shyly.

"Ah, I see."

Out of nowhere, I tackled Haku in a hug. He wrapped his arms around me, and we stayed that way for a few moments. I looked up and our eyes met. We gazed at each other, our arms still wrapped around each other. I realized how tall Haku was compared to me, by about a head maybe?

"I missed you," I muttered. As one who hadn't had any friends since at the age of sixteen, I probably seemed clingy.

Haku closed his eyes and rested his head on my shoulder. I breathed in the scent of his hair, which was like that of some body of water. The position might've looked rather intimate, but hey, who cared anyway? I sure didn't.

"I feel the same way."

We were brought back to reality when we heard the faint sound of music playing inside. We released from the hug and went back inside the ballroom. We went down the stairs and joined the guests. We looked around and realized that the guests were now doing the Viennese waltz. Haku turned to look at me and stuck out his hand.

"May I have this dance?" he asked politely.

I gently grasped his hand and nodded. "Gladly."

Hand in hand, we joined the minuet, which was just about to start.

* * *

 **Just to clarify, a hanfu dress is part of the Ancient Chinese culture.**


	8. Twist

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

I felt stares directed towards me and Haku as we danced. I looked down, and my dress swished and twirled elegantly with each step I took. I eventually just kept my eyes on Haku, but it still didn't quite get rid of the awkwardness. I felt relieved when the music ended, and when we released our hold we gave each other a bow.

When Haku and I were at a comfortable distance, I pointed to where my hairpin sat on my head. Miraculously, Haku quickly got the message and nodded. I touched the hairpin and activated the spell.

" _That dance felt great, although the stares we kept receiving were rather unnerving,"_ I said in my mind.

" _Agreed. If you can notice, we still are being looked at."_

I looked around and saw the countless stares— _glares_ of women, and some from the men as well. My eyes landed on Haku again _._

" _You don't have to keep your hand on the hairpin. Once the spell is activated, you can release your hold on the hairpin. To break the spell, just wish for it like you do when you activate it,"_ Haku pointed out.

I nodded slightly and released my touch on the hairpin. " _I think we should separate for now. We can still communicate with each other, but we need to be at an inconspicuous distance, or people will speculate as we just stand here and stare at each other."_

" _You're right."_

We separated until we couldn't see each other. I stayed by the staircase and watched as the next dance commenced.

" _By the way, I think the women were the ones staring at you, while they were glaring at me,"_ I commented.

" _Really? I only noticed the death stares of the male audience."_

" _For now, let's enjoy what the party has to offer tonight. You can get something to eat, while I'll just watch the dance,"_ I said.

" _All right,"_ Haku replied, and I broke the spell.

A giggle escaped my mouth. I continued to look at the people who were dancing. I noticed some of the women still sending me glares, which I ignored.

"Chihiro?" a voice called out beside me.

I turned and saw my mother, who had a strange look on her face. I tilted my head and asked, "Mom, weren't you speaking with the guests?"

"I was, but I immediately noticed you dancing with that Haku person," my mother answered.

"Um, okay, but why are you here?"

"I came to ask what your relationship with that boy is. This is the first time you've actually willingly danced with someone."

I looked at my mom and replied, "Oh, Haku's my friend. We met and got to know each other under strange circumstances in the Kingdom of Spirits."

"I see," my mother said, and I also heard my mother quietly mumble a few more words after.

I tilted my head in confusion. "What?"

My mother shook her head. "It's nothing to worry about, honey. Just keep enjoying yourself."

* * *

 _It's already been three days since the ball,_ I thought sleepily as I looked out the window of my room. The sun shone through the glass and onto my sleepy form. I heard a knock from one of the doors of my room.

"Come in!"

A maid entered holding a tray of tea and food. She bowed and placed the tray on a table. I thanked the maid, and she once again bowed and silently left the room. I made my way to the table that held the tray. I ate the food and sipped on some of the tea.

Later, one of my ladies-in-waiting came in and helped me get dressed. I clipped on the hairpin and rested my purple hair tie on my wrist. I exited my room and walked down the familiar halls of the palace. One of the maids came running towards me.

"Princess, your presence is required in the office of His and Her Majesty," the maid stated.

I nodded. "Thank you."

I changed courses and began to make my way to my parents' office. I stopped in front of the doors and knocked.

"Come in!" a voice answered loudly.

I entered the office and looked at my parents. "You asked for me?"

My mother nodded and said, "That's right. We asked for you here to talk with you."

 _It better not be about betrothals again,_ I hoped.

As if reading my mind, my father assured, "Don't worry. This isn't about betrothals."

I mentally sighed in relief. "So what is this about?"

"The main topic of this talk is about your future," my mother answered.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you want?" my mother answered with a question of her own.

" _I don't understand."_ was what I wanted to say, but instead I kept silent and gave a confused look.

"What your mother meant by that is what you wish to do with your life. Do you wish to stay here? Or do you want to return to that Spirit Kingdom?" my father clarified.

"Why are you both speaking of this all of a sudden? Clearly, I'm going to return to the Kingdom of Spirits, but why? Why bring this up?" I questioned.

My mother looked at the floor. "We decided to give you more freedom. You've been cooped up in this palace your whole life, and so we've decided you should explore the world more and do what your heart desires. You're a princess, but you're not this kingdom's pawn. You are a person, and you're Chihiro. And also . . ."

My eyes widened in realization when I saw my mother gently pat her abdomen. My father wrapped an arm around my mother and brought her close. Years ago my caretaker has told me stories about how my parents would do the same thing that they were doing now when I was still in my mother's belly.

"Y-you're . . ." I stuttered in realization.

My mother nodded and looked at her belly in warmth and pride. "That's right. I'm expecting. You're going to be a big sister, Chihiro."

A large smile spread across my face, and my father's eyes welled up with tears. I embraced the two of them and thought of how miraculous the news was. I released myself from the embrace and looked at my parents in joy. It was a miracle, considering their age; one doesn't get younger every day, be it a magic to make one seem younger or not.

"I'm glad you were able to make the family grow," I said and my parents nodded.

Our moment was ruined when all of a sudden, a letter appeared in front of me. I snatched the floating envelope and tore it open.

 _I have a feeling as to who it's from_ , I thought.

I spilled the contents of the envelope, and found an odd tag and a piece of paper, which was most likely the letter. I inspected the letter and began to read in my head.

 _Sen,_

 _Your break is over, and my sister has already left. You are to be expected back in the manor between now and tomorrow. There is a tag that came along with this letter, which every servant who left for the break has. Chant the words written on the tag five times and you will be teleported back to the mansion. Some of the servants who have experienced quite a few breaks in their life of servitude will know that this tag will be received in every letter that is from me, so now you know! The later you return after the expected time, the worse your punishment will be. Now move along and use the tag!_

 _From, Yubaba._

I internally chuckled nervously. I looked at my parents who were looking at me in confusion.

"So what does the letter say?" my father asked.

"I have to return to the Kingdom of Spirits. I was told this tag will teleport me back to the place I currently reside in," I answered as I held up the strange tag.

"We understand that you now have your own duties to attend to, but before we let you go, do you mind telling us what you do in the Kingdom of Spirits?" my mother asked.

I looked at the letter in my hand and answered, "It's strange since I'm a princess here, but in the Kingdom of Spirits I work as a maid for one of the higher nobles."

"A maid? You know you could just state your real title, and you could be granted noble status in the kingdom," my mother protested.

I shook my head. "It's all right, Mom. Besides, at one point everyone has started off small before they achieve bigger goals."

"She's right, Yuuko. Our ancestors have started off small at one point, and thanks to them, look at us now! I'm sure our daughter will achieve many great things in the future too," my father chimed.

"I'm just worried for her. But I guess she's right," my mother said, sighing.

I smiled. _I'm glad that things between us has gone smooth so far._

"All right. You may go now. You have your own things to do, and we have our own. I just hope you won't get into too much trouble." I nodded and embraced my mother, and then my father.

"Thanks, Mom." I waved the tag, but my gaze quickly returned to my parents.

"Mom, Dad, before I leave, I have a request," I said.

"What is it, honey?" my father asked.

"When my brother or sister is born, I ask of you both to give them more freedom than the freedom I had when I was younger. And also, please let them choose their future, and if by some chance they fall for one of a lower class, then let them marry. That is all I ask of you both," I requested.

My parents looked at each other worriedly, and my mother protested, "We need an heir, Chihiro. We've already let you go. We can't let go of another one of our children. How will the kingdom prosper without a ruler?"

"You can let them rule alongside their loved one—royalty, nobility or not. If they leave their duty and title, then let them do so, but hand over the throne to someone you deeply trust. If both don't work, then maybe the kingdom can be governed by a congress." I suggested.

"Well, we'll see where the future takes us. You may go now, sweetie. Be safe," My mother said.

I nodded. "Thanks."

I hoped my suggestion wasn't wrong, or else it may put the kingdom at stake. I ran back to my room and packed my things. I slipped into my kimono and grabbed my bag. I tied my hair into a ponytail and got out the tag.

 _All right, I just need to chant the words on this tag five times._

I quickly read the words on the tag and began to chant. Light began to surround me, and I clutched my things close to me.

 _Good-bye for now, Mom, Dad, and my unborn sibling—or siblings. I'll be back in . . . a few months, or maybe years, who knows._

* * *

I stood outside in Haku's balcony beside him. We both admired the view the night scenery has to offer.

"So how was your time at the bathhouse?" I asked.

Haku continued to look at the sky and answered, "It was fine. I greeted Rin for you."

"Thank you."

Haku nodded and we both continued to admire the view. I turned my head to look at Haku, who was already looking at me. I stared at his facial features, especially his beautiful emerald-green eyes. Haku smiled slightly, and I quickly averted my gaze. I felt my cheeks grow warm as I tried to focus on the scenery.

 _Very handsome he is. I wonder if he's aware of his amazing looks. That straight yet beautifully coloured hair, and his unique emerald-green eyes, very beautiful and enchanting. His lips too—_

My face seemed to burn after that final thought and I clawed at the air in embarrassment. From the corner of my eye, Haku tilted his head and looked at me worriedly.

"Are you all right, Chihiro?" he asked, worried.

I took a few deep breaths and slowly nodded. "Yeah. Nothing to worry about, but thanks for asking."

Eventually I returned to the maids' quarters to get some sleep. The next day went off like usual. A week passed, and it was another normal day.

"So you're going on an actual mission assigned to you?" I asked as I was sweeping the floor of the lobby.

Haku nodded. "Yes. Yubaba has sent me to go to the Spirit World and retrieve something."

I perked up and looked at Haku in wonder. " _The_ Spirit World? As in, the world that is connected to this kingdom and is bigger than these lands?"

"That's right."

"So you're really going there?" Haku nodded.

"I was actually born there. That's one of the very few memories that I can recall of about my life before servitude," Haku said.

I looked at Haku like a curious child. "Wow, that's amazing!"

"Yes. However, compared to this kingdom, there is much more going on there, and that means it's also much more dangerous. There is so much magic in the Spirit World, and it can be misused in many ways," Haku explained grimly.

"Oh."

"Well, I need to get going now. My mission starts today, and you should return to your duties as well. I'll see you soon," Haku said and left the lobby with a small wave.

"Bye . . ." I muttered.

I continued to sweep the floors of the lobby in slight sadness.

* * *

I looked out the window beside my bed. I sighed and glanced at my hairpin, which was placed on my nightstand beside my hair tie.

 _We haven't been able to keep in touch lately. Why is that? Has something happened to him? It's been over a month since we last communicated. I seriously am getting really worried._ I thought in worry.

I stared and admired the moonlit gardens from my window and sighed. I snatched my hairpin and began to fiddle with it, my worries and doubts starting to slowly consume me.

 _I must not think of these thoughts. But I can't help it. Why? Is it because I worry more about Haku than Rin because I've been around him more often? Of course, I worry about Rin too—she's almost like a big sister to me, even though we've only been around each other for about a week! Whatever is fuelling these strong emotions for Haku, I must hope and wish he's safe, or else I'd be a very bad friend if I were to constantly think he's dead._ I mentally grumbled to myself and turned to look at the sleeping maids.

I laid back down on my bed and stared at the ceiling, my hand returning the hairpin to its original spot.

"It's only been a week since he left. I'm sure it's just the intensity of the mission, that's all," I mumbled and wearily closed my eyes.

* * *

 **Response to Sherona849: I won't answer that (because spoilers), but I suppose you can make your own conclusions on that. ;)**

 **Feel free to review, everyone! And I hope you enjoy this story so far (and to my sister-by-bond)!**


	9. Unraveled

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

More work, and more work, and then even more work. All of it thus far was just work, work, work.

 _Okay, now I'm wondering where Haku is, he's been gone for . . . a while, that's for sure,_ I thought.

Vase by vase I dusted, making sure not a single speck is floating around the expensive decor. It was on the second hall I started hearing some weird things.

"You know, that boy, Lady Yubaba's apprentice, do you recall the last time we've seen him?" wondered an old servant.

"I'm not sure. Over a month maybe?" a younger servant, maybe around my age, replied.

"Oh, I heard something happened to him during his mission! While wiping the floors a week ago, I overheard Lady Yubaba going on and on about it through the doors of her office. Do you think he's in trouble? If word gets out, then majority of the manor's maids will freak!" a maid whisper-yelled, but she was one of those who wasn't in the I-Love-Haku Group.

"Um, I think word already has spread," the younger servant said, his glance pointing towards me, and I pretended to keep dusting the furniture.

"Oh dear, it's Sen. Isn't she a little . . . close, to Master Haku?" The maid's words caused the other two workers with her to direct their gazers on me.

 _My cue to leave._ I dusted from vase to vase, frame to frame, until I moved a fair distance from the three workers.

* * *

 _"Mom! Mom!" I called, my steps loud and echoing through the smooth floors of the castle as I made my way to my mother, who was talking to one of the guards._

 _"Yes, dear?" my mother replied, gently dismissing the guard with a nod._

 _"Granny is gone!" I announced._

 _My mother's eyes widened. "Granny is gone? What do you mean?"_

 _I looked down, a frown etched on my face. "That's the thing. I don't know how. She just left me with a small letter and this purple hair tie," I explained, showing my mother the hair tie, "so maybe she left letters for you and Dad as well?"_

 _"May I see the letter?"_

 _From one of the pockets of my dress, I took out a small slip of paper and handed it to my mother. After several seconds, my mother's eyes widened, and she took on a look of dread. She abruptly wrapped her arms around me, and I felt my shoulder vibrate with her sobs._

 _"Chihiro," my mother whispered. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to do something about this." She grabbed my wrist and led me through the halls until we both stopped in front of a small door near the dungeons._

 _It was the door that led to my grandmother's work area. When I was seven years old, I had stumbled upon the door, and the moment my grandmother had found out she forbade me from entering through the door, even from doing something as simple as even touching the door's handle. Since then I had never set a single foot near the old wooden door. Things changed the moment my mother twisted the door's handle and pushed it open, full of certainty._

 _"Come," my mother beckoned, and I reluctantly followed, my hand tightly grasping hers._

 _"W-where are we going?" I asked, my eyes nervously scanning the dim surroundings, but my question required no answer; we were going to my grandmother's workplace._

 _My mother and I kept walking through the stony corridors until we reached another door, looking much more worn out compared to the hall's outer one. My mother muttered several words, and the door creaked open. Fear and foreboding filled my being, but I entered anyway, my mother's warm grasp a gentle reassurance._

 _The room looked like any other study, filled with books and scrolls. On the top right corner of my grandmother's desk sat an old tea set, its swirls looking as if it . . . moved—swirled. Several moments after entering the room, everything started to grow blurry, and all I saw were a series of vivid colours and scenes I couldn't quite make out._

* * *

I sat up, gasping. I glanced at the window by my bed, the evening sky still peeking through the thin glass that somehow managed to survive rural disasters throughout its years of doing its job.

 _What was that about?_ While staring at my thin blanket, my ears managed to catch faint buzz nearby.

I looked around, but found nothing—nothing except for my glowing hairpin. I raised a brow and quietly snatched it from my small nightstand. Still aware of the servants sleeping in the same room, I tucked the hairpin in the pocket of my nightgown and snuck out of the room. I continued farther through the halls until I reached the doors to Haku's room.

I glanced at my hairpin, which kept glowing and buzzing. When I settled it on my hands, I willed the magic back, but didn't expect it to respond instantly.

 _"Chihiro!"_ Haku's voice called out.

"Haku? It's you! Where are you? The servants are starting to talk," I asked, but it was left unanswered.

 _"Chihiro, you have to get out of the manor, NOW! But first, enter my room, and say a word when you are done,"_ Haku said, his voice quick and rushed.

It was then I realized what this was—a message. I entered the room and sat myself by Haku's bed, and I cued for the message to continue.

 _"By now, I'm sure you've understood that this is just a message,"_ Haku began. _"For my mission, I was assigned to steal an important artifact known as the gold seal. The seal belonged to Zeniba, Yubaba's sister, and the moment I laid a claw on it, something shifted. Very soon after, I was caught, and I was captured. The moment you receive this message, I'll probably already be in the dungeons of the Spirit Kingdom's palace._

 _"Other than my imprisonment, I've discovered something very key. The moment I touched the seal, it triggered several scenes, ones of the past and possibly forgotten. What I'm saying is, I've discovered something potentially dangerous. And I ask of you to keep the seal away from Yubaba, no matter what. She is brewing something nefarious behind the scenes, and I figure this gold seal will be the one to seal the deal of this plan."_ A brief silence passed.

 _"The seal has been returned to Zeniba, but by now I'm sure Yubaba knows my failed attempt to take the seal, and soon she might be on the move. So, I've sent you this message to warn you, and because I want you to leave that dreaded place. Journey to the Spirit Kingdom's main city, and try to gain access to the palace and meet me there. I can't guarantee my escape, but just wait for me, or appoint yourself a meeting with me with the excuse of being family._

 _"The Spirit Kingdom is very vast, and much larger than your kingdom—it also has some more . . . magical forces that inhabit the kingdom, so be careful. I repeat this one last time: please leave the manor. Near the manor is a shack that provides these orbs that summon large birds—"_

I muttered to myself about the convenience of such a shack near a witch's manor—

 _"—good for travel because of their speed, however they come at a high price. There should be a large stash of gold under my bed. Gather that gold and pack your things, then head for that shack, and from there your journey starts. But, that is if you are willing, but please believe me. I must go now. I'll see you soon."_ And with that, the message ended.

Throughout the whole explanation, my eyes were wide.

 _If what Haku said was true, then . . ._ I dug my head under the bed, and found a large amount of currency. _I'm succeeding with his instructions so far, but still, all this! It's just so sudden._

I silently ran down the halls of the manor, and snuck back into the maids' quarters. I began packing, but as quietly as I could, so as to not disturb the maids who were still asleep.

 _Just when I was about to live in peace, working as a maid, far from my original duties as princess—although I still have a small chunk of regret with my decision to abandon my role—but why, Haku? I better get an explanation once we meet._

Fortunately Yubaba was gone, either at the bathhouse or trying to steal the gold seal, I didn't know. But one thing was certain—I had to leave. It was a little sad, since I just found my place in a community, after years of being all alone and basking in all the rot my spoiled self had made.

Soon I exited the manor, a few of my most precious valuables and all the currency in tow. I made quite the trek until I saw the shack.

When I entered, the only person present was an elderly man, who sat behind an old wooden counter.

"All the goli-avian species are on the counter," the man pointed out, tapping a wrinkly finger on a piece of paper on the counter that displayed orbs and birds.

"Which of them is the fastest?" I asked.

The man pointed to the bird encased in an amethyst orb, the paper letting out a soft crinkle. I rashly dumped all the gold on the counter.

"I'll take it. And some food and water, if you have any."

"Alright," the man muttered, and took the gold, replacing the sack with a small amethyst orb. "A little warning for this one: she's a little bit of a rebel."

* * *

 ** _!WARNING!: PROCEED THIS WITH CAUTION, FOR THERE IS A CHANCE YOU MAY BE SPOILED ON CERTAIN PARTS ! ! !_**

 **Just to get this over with (you may hate me after reading this all you want, but I'm doing this so I won't be stressing over it, since during the next few days I'll be busy, so I'm trying a bit here) I'll give away the story's structure (not the storyline). There will be ten chapters for this entire story, and two bonus chapters. So basically saying, it will have an abrupt end since it may take over ten thousand words to end this new situation, and I don't want an overly long final chapter. There will also be a reflection, so I'll be expressing my thoughts and explaining some things about my writing process, but reading it is optional.**

 **Now, about the "end" of this story. I'll agree with some of you once you finish this. You may probably be all, "WHAT?! But this is so sudden! This storyline is all wibbly-wobbly, with a lack of certain key things like conflict, resolutions, yada-yada! And so all of a sudden you mention the next chapter will be the end! What's next?" I'll admit, this kind of reply will stress me out a bit, so let me remind you again: this is a gift-fic for a dear friend of mine (who, at the moment, is unfortunately a little busy to read), and this was my writing from a year ago, just revised. I'm just a little stressed, but I'd like to thank you all so much for your support and for your criticism! I really enjoy making stories both for you and myself! Off topic, so anyway, I'll say this in six words: _It will be in the reflection._ Some questions regarding the story's structure will be answered, along with why it ends in an unsatisfactory way.**

 **Goodness, why does this seem like the end? There's three more chapters (excluding reflections) being released! Anyway have a good day/evening to you all!**


	10. Happy-Ever-After

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

I gripped the neck of the bird, trying to balance myself on the odd choice of a mount. I was a fair distance away from the manor and the shack, now around a clearing with some nearby trees. However, time was flowing, and right now it felt much faster, with the sky's blues lightening.

"Easy there," I whispered, but the large avian only grunted, as if to say, " _Like a tiny thing like you could boss me."_

 _Is this thing seriously the fastest? More like the most stubborn,_ I snorted.

If it wasn't for its personality, it definitely would have been considered a majestic creature. Its plumes were a lovely splash of many different purples—from the lightest to some of the darkest—and its eyes were a fine tourmaline pink.

"Uh, please fly for me?" Another grunt.

I furrowed my brows, a little frustrated. "Can you at least walk?"

The bird only sat down, giving a defiant squawk. I grumbled and got off. Looking around, I went to one of the trees and snatched a small fruit, one that looked like an apple, but not quite. When I returned to where the bird was, still seated stubbornly, I sat beside it and took a small bite of my fruit.

 _We're getting nowhere. The sun will rise soon, and the servants will start talking, which will eventually reach Yubaba._ I turned my head and saw the goli-avian staring at me, or rather, the bitten fruit.

I stuck my hand out, the one with the apple-like fruit. "You want it? You can have it."

The purple bird tilted its head, a little reluctant. I sighed.

"I might has well have a refund and get another gold-avian; we're getting nowhere. Look, I'm sorry for bothering your time, maybe you did enjoy being an orb, lazing around and doing nothing in that shack. But, at least have a little fill if you are to return." The bird's tourmaline eyes fixed on mine, staring into my soul.

" _She's a special one,"_ the old man had said, " _and I suggest you take good care of her. Stubborn and rebellious she may be, but she's just as . . . human, as the rest of us. Regulars who come and go here just don't see it, which was why she never had a real master to care for her. Always being returned here, that one."_

I wrapped an arm around half of the goli-avian neck, and leaned my head against it. I still stuck out the fruit, but this time the bird started to slowly reach for it.

"Never mind, you're just right. A girl with locks of gold would probably prefer her 'perfect' option, but to me you're just right. Just eat your fill and transform into an orb again, and I'll walk—far from that shack, and slowly closer to where a friend of mine is at."

Something rather odd reached my ears: ' _I'll fly.'_

In one quick motion, the bird swallowed my fruit and used its beak to settle me on its back. I hugged its neck, surprised.

"Just one quick thing. If we're all good now, I'll name you Murasaki," I uttered as the bird, now Murasaki, spread her wings.

I did a quick double-check on the new saddlebags, and I patted Murasaki on the back of her neck.

"Thank you," I whispered. _Is this the effect kindness can do?_

Murasaki fixed her position, and in one flap of her two, large wings, we were now airborne. I looked around the early-morning sky, the sun's rays starting to peek through and set the world alight. Murasaki flashed me a look, one of excitement.

"All right, let's go that way!" I shouted excitedly through the wind, pointing east.

Murasaki turned and flew towards the direction where I was pointing, her elated screeches reverberating throughout the area.

"Not too loud, Murasaki!" I scolded. "You'll wake up the servants, even though they're a little far."

A grunt escaped the bird, but the corner of beak tilted upwards, possibly a bird's way of smirking. I grasped Murasaki's neck, firmly, and looked ahead towards the vast expanse of sky, now streaked in shades of orange and red.

 _Haku, I'm coming, along with Murasaki here. Just hold on and stay patient!_ I thought determinedly.

It still wasn't the end, this tale of mine. But some thoughts spilled through: _Is there more to simple red strings that dear Fate had bestowed upon us? I'm doing far more than I should have in this live, unless destiny took part in this tale. Or maybe it was all just silly thoughts, and maybe I was simply just overrating my life._

I brought my head against the name of Murasaki's neck. _Nonetheless, it doesn't matter now. Life has been better since my running away._

On Murasaki's back, we continued on, farther from the manor, but nearing the centre of the Spirit Kingdom, towards that castle—the Kingdom's core, and the place where Haku was residing.

 _The real chunk of the sandwich has been presented on the silver platter of my table, but would I be able to handle the bite of it?_

"The answer," I mumbled through the harsh wind, "will depend on how I handle this new adventure."

* * *

 **Short ending, I know. The chunky reaction of mine and my thoughts will be displayed in the reflection, which will be released after the two bonus chapters, one of which will be released with this chapter. But I suppose that's "the end". Hope you've all enjoyed this ('cept for, in my opinion, some certain parts like the abrupt end), and have a great day/evening to you all!**


	11. End

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

She was a princess who **ran away**

To a **foreign land**.

However, **a home for her** was eventually found.

Later, one witch had let her **stay**.

Now she was a princess **in the guise of a maid** ,

And she was also working with an **enigma**.

She lived **a life of simplicity** , but she was still elated.

Things took a **twist** as she twirled in the ballroom,

But it was **unraveled** later,

That the princess's **happy-ever-after** still isn't soon.

* * *

She thought her journey had ended there, but really, it had only just begun. Unbeknownst to her, that was what Fate, Destiny, and Luck had planned all along. And it seemed Destiny had won the secret gamble.


	12. Epilogue

**Spirited Away belongs to Hayao Miyazaki.**

* * *

"Ah, she went ahead and did it." The speaker's blue hair shined, as if to reflect her accomplishment. Equally sky-blue eyes gleamed proudly.

"And just what exactly does that mean?" chimed another voice, belonging to an older woman with red hair.

"It means I won, Mother," answered the blue-haired woman, huffing annoyingly at her mother. "You may be the one known as Fate, but let's not forget your limits as a goddess. If Destiny can triumph Fate then soon many others could. Maybe even that human girl we gambled on."

"Destiny," began Fate, the red-haired woman, "why do you antagonize me so?"

"Because you ruined Father," Destiny seethed. "He joined this bet to leave it all but because I won, I can finally make things right."

"But your father doesn't love me anymore. Not after what I did." Fate sighed. "He has priorities now, such as his son."

Blue eyes pierced red ones. Destiny circled the older goddess like a predator would with its prey. The younger goddess scoffed, before retreating. Fate rested her eyes on the planked floor.

"I meant closure, Mother. But you know my half-brother would leave eventually. I planned it, and so did you and even Father."

Destiny walked towards the glowing orb by the wall, displaying a determined Chihiro and Murasaki gliding over patches of land.

"By the gods' will," she heard Chihiro utter, "help us make it safely."

"For a normal human it is definitely a dangerous journey," Destiny said, to no one in particular. "But willpower can sometimes be enough, mostly."

"Then let's hope the mortal girl will save what is about to fall," piped up Fate.

"I do not know what you speak of, Mother," mumbled Destiny.

Fate merely chuckled.

"Oh I know you know, my daughter."

* * *

 **A/N: And that's it for this story! Phew, finally I'm done (with a lot of regret after the major procrastination). Now for the reflection and my sardines (I eat my literally fishy lunch as I type this).**

 **Okay, I'll just do my reflections here because why not? Read it if you like, but this helps me free the remaining strain this story has put on my shoulders. Now I'll be speaking of this story not as a belated birthday present (my friend didn't mind that it's been on hold for some time, but it still made me a little blue) but as a project done.**

 **This story, to put it bluntly, was a fail. First AU fanfic posted and it turned out to lean a little more towards the amateur side, in my opinion. I say this because the story was incomplete, it lacked what was to be anticipated in the summary and mentioned genres, it seemed rushed, and it was unofficially on hold for so long. For the romance, I'm totally one for a slowburn, so I like to give reason for the romantic development between two characters (or at least I try). So for those who came for the romance of this story, then I'm sorry to say this, but it's there but not fully there.**

 **Originally this story was supposed to be a long stand-alone, but because of the little time I had remaining until the due date—aka my friend's birthday—I decided to turn it into a trilogy; the real juice comes in the next two sequels. The only problem is when or how I will continue this. This story came without a plan, and I learned my lesson now (please, to all aspiring writers, be it fanfic or original, if you want to do a long story then make a "thumbnail sketch" of the story then branch out from there).**

 **So I'm sorry to disappoint those who stuck with me; because for now the trilogy will be put on an indefinite hiatus while I get IBaH (to those who read it) done, as well as the release of other stories. By that I mean I don't know when to continue, as my life is starting to become busier. It's been so long since I worked on this that I actually had to reread chunks of my own fanfic just so I could recall what transpired so I can make a proper-ish epilogue. One of the problems with this chapter, however, was that it probably raised more questions. But it is intended for the trilogy, but I'll just need to work on it in the future (if possible). Thankfully this wasn't the first mediocre story I wrote.**

 **I feel a twinge of remorse for being unable to finish this story the way it was originally supposed to turn out, but life has its twists and turns. During the time I was gone I have improved a lot on my writing, so hopefully I can incorporate it in the future. I'll also need to have some time to recall the some of the events of this story.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed what pieces of the picture I could show, and hopefully I get to continue on with the storyline next time (with a plan). Bye!**


End file.
